CAMP SIONGCO, Maguindanao - Two Dawlah Islamiya (DI) terrorists were killed during an armed encounter with government forces in Polomolok, South Cotabato on Monday.

Major General Juvymax Uy, Army's 6th Infantry Division commander, said the clash occurred in Barangay Lapu, Polomolok between the Army-led Joint Task Force Central (JTFC) operating troops and the terrorists under the DI-Maguid Group.

The five-minute encounter left DI members Zypol Nilong and Salahudin Usman dead. The two belonged to the group of Zaiden Jade Nilong, alias Aliboy of the DI Maguid group.

Lt. Col. Raymond Rapi, commanding officer of 1st Scout Ranger Battalion, said government troops recovered two M16 rifles from the slain gunmen.

Their companions hurriedly fled, leaving behind the slain terrorist group members.

"Through the intensified military operations conducted by the JTFC troops, coupled with the cooperation of the local government units and the community, the series of successes of these operations indicate that the DI is nearing its end," said Brig. Gen. Pedro Balisi Jr., 1st Mechanized Brigade commander, in a statement.

Despite the military's advantage over terrorist groups, the Army remains open to the peaceful surrender of DI members.

"As much as possible, we don't want to take away the lives of these people for they have families as well. Surrender now as the government will help you build and start your lives peacefully," Uy said.

Private armed groups, the DI, and the communist New People's Army (NPA) remains to be the leading threat groups in the 6ID's area of responsibility (AOR).

The 6ID's AOR covers the provinces of Maguindanao, Sultan Kudarat, South Cotabato, and parts of North Cotabato, Lanao del Sur, and Sarangani.

NPA batch surrender

Meanwhile, Army officials in Sultan Kudarat province are convinced that the communist movement in the province continues to weaken with the surrender of two field commanders and six of their followers in Lebak town recently.

On Monday, Brig. Gen. Eduardo Gubat, commander of the 603rd Infantry Brigade, said the surrenderers returned to the folds of the law in two batches at the 37th Infantry Battalion headquarters in Barangay Tibpuan, Lebak, Sultan Kudarat on January 24 and 26.

"Their surrender is a huge setback to the mainstream communist terrorist group and is an indication that their group is continuously weakening," Gubat said.

Lt. Colonel Allen Van Estrera, commander of the 37th Infantry Battalion, said the surrenderers belonged to the Sub-Regional Committee (SRC) Daguma, Far-South Mindanao Region (FSMR) operating in the tri-boundaries of Sultan Kudarat, South Cotabato, and Sarangani provinces.

Representatives from the military, police and local government units witnessed the surrender rites, he said.

The former NPAs turned over an M16 rifle, two .45-caliber pistols, and a fragmentation grenade.

Uy said the surrender of the NPA leaders can be attributed to the concerted efforts of the different government agencies under the Task Force to End the Local Communist Armed Conflict of Sultan Kudarat.

"Eventually, the communist movement will become irrelevant as their members and the communities they have threatened already came into the realization of the importance of having a peaceful and sustainable community," he said.

The Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP)-NPA is listed as a terrorist organization by the governments of the United States, European Union, the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and the Philippines. (PNA)