The band of rebels, said Col. Benito de Leon, commanding officer of the Army's 104th Infantry Brigade, surrendered with their firearms to Lt. Col. Juvymax Uy of the 43rd Infantry Battalion.
The firearms include an M16 rifle, eight Garand rifles with ammunitions, and a rifle propelled grenade (RPG) with two ammunitions.
The surrenderees, said De Leon, are in their 40s and 50s.
The military officer said their identities are being withheld because "they are now assisting ground soldiers in locating Commander Bravo."
"Together with local officials, they are also facilitating the defection of other members of the MILF who want to live peacefully," De Leon further bared.
"It appears that they realized the futility of what they are doing and admitted that they do not have future nor benefit in their movement," he added.
The surrender, he said, is an "offshoot intensive military operations on the ground."
Last month, Defense Secretary Gilbert Teodoro convened military officials in the Lanao provinces to lay the mandate to intensify the manhunt operation against what the military refers to as “rogue elements of the MILF” while the government peace panel is preparing all mechanisms to restart the peace process with the Moro rebel group.
"At the moment, Bravo is on the run to evade relentless operation by soldiers," De Leon said. (Violeta M. Gloria / MindaNews)