The first to yield were 22 men of Ghalib Andang, alias Commander Robot, followed by two partisans of Radulan Sahiron in Barangay Bungkaong in Patikul.
Commander Robot led the Muslim extremists’ band that kidnapped the 21 mostly foreign hostages from Sipadan island off Sabah last April 23, while Sahiron is believed to be holding the three Malaysians whom they abducted from another Malaysian island last month.
Task Force Trident commander Maj. Gen. Narciso Abaya did not name the men of Commander Robot who had surrendered, except one who was identified as Par Saudi.
On the other hand, Abaya said Sahiron’s two followers who had given up were Irao Ammal and Cesar Bakkal.
Abaya said Saudi told him that they were fishermen who had joined the Abu Sayyaf three months ago after being promised a monthly salary of P3,000.
"But up to now, we have not received a single centavo," Abaya quoted Saudi as saying.
Saudi told Abaya they decided to surrender for fear that they might die in the jungle as they were already weak from lack of food, and that some Abu Sayyaf fighters have fled their camp.
Their lack of ammunition have prevented them from engaging government forces in open battle, he was quoted as saying by Abaya.
Abaya said Saudi is expecting more Abu Sayyaf members to surrender in the coming days, and that Commander Robot had divided the $240 million ransom with relatives and other Abu Sayyaf leaders.
Abaya said the latest surrenders have brought to 42 the number of Abu Sayyaf members who have given up to government troops since the Armed Forces launched a massive operation against the bandits last Sept. 16.
Abaya said Commander Robot and other Abu Sayyaf leaders have no choice but to surrender as the military will go after them wherever they may hide in the jungle.
"We have a strict order to get them wherever they are and to recover the hostages alive," he said.
Abaya said Army intelligence agents are tracking down the locations of Abu Sayyaf leaders Commander Robot, Mujib Susukan, Abu Jundain, alias Abu Pula, Nadjmi Sadalla, alias Commander Globel, Radulan Sahiron, Khadaffy Janjalani, and Abu Asmad Salayuddin, alias Abu Sabaya.
"We are calling on them to surrender because there is no way out for them," he said.
Abaya said these leaders have been sending surrender feelers to the military through local officials, but that authorities still have to assess their sincerity.
Meanwhile, Navy and Coast Guard ships, which had been blockading Sulu island to prevent Abu Sayyaf bandits from escaping, caught a Hong Kong fishing boat poaching in the waters off Sulu last Wednesday.
Armed Forces Southern Command chief Lt. Gen. Diomedio Villanueva told reporters yesterday the M/V Shek Hay Yau, a Hong Kong-registered fishing vessel, was intercepted by a Coast Guard ship near Bangalan, Sulu.
Villanueva said a Navy boarding party discovered found about 4,000 kilograms of assorted live fish on the aquarium deck of the Shek Hay Yau.
Villanueva said the vessel’s skipper failed to show Navy officials any pertinent documents allowing them entry into the Philippines or a permit for their fishing operation.
Abaya said a Navy ship escorted the Shek Hay Yau to Jolo pier for "proper disposition." — Paolo Romero, Roel Pareno