CAMP SIONGCO, Maguindanao — Twenty-nine more unlicensed firearms were turned over to the military by local officials of two towns in Maguindanao and Sultan Kudarat provinces, the Army here said Thursday.
Major Gen. Arnel dela Vega, Army’s 6th Infantry Division commander, said officials of Datu Hoffer, Maguindanao and Palimbang, Sultan Kudarat separately surrendered the firearms.
On Thursday, 15 loose firearms were turned over by the local government of Datu Hoffer, headed by Mayor Bai Noraila Kristina Ampatuan, to the Army’s 601st Infantry Brigade held at the town’s municipal hall.
The firearms comprised of one M16 A2 rifle, one M16 A3 rifle, one 60mm mortar launcher, one single shot 40mm grenade launcher, two improvised Mauser rifle, and nine 12-gauge shotguns with assorted ammunition clips.
On Tuesday, 14 assorted high-powered firearms were surrendered by acting Palimbang Mayor Haron Sabiwang, together with chairpersons of Barangays Barongis and Dumulol, to the Marine Battalion Landing Team-5.
Among the firearms surrendered were ten M1 Garand rifles, two .30-caliber M1 Carbine rifles, one homemade 9mm pistol and one homemade 12-gauge shotgun.
Dela Vega, concurrent head of Joint Task Force (JTF) Central, lauded the officials and repeated his appeal to other local government executives to participate and support the government’s campaign against the proliferation of loose firearms as this will aid in the reduction of crimes.
Since January 1, a total of 439 firearms have been recovered and surrendered in the areas of JTF Central that included the entirety of Maguindanao and Sultan Kudarat, and parts of North Cotabato and Lanao del Sur provinces. (PNA)
