DATU ODIN SINSUAT, Maguindanao — Responding to the Army’s call for local government officials to help in the military’s campaign against loose firearms, officials of this town collected 69 firearms from civilians and turned them over to the military.
Capt. Arvin John Encinas, speaking for the Army’s 6th Infantry Division (6ID), said the firearms were turned over Saturday by Datu Odin Sinsuat Mayor (DOS) Ombra Sinsuat to Lt. Col. Crizaldo Fernandez, the 90th Infantry Battalion commander, at the town’s gymnasium here.
Sinsuat said the surrendered firearms were from various villages of DOS and were collected by the town mayor’s office.
Maguindanao (1st District) Rep. Bai Sandra Sema, Maguindanao Vice-Governor Lester Sinsuat, Regional Legislative Assembly Speaker Ronnie Sinsuat, Vice Mayor Sajid Sinsuat, provincial board members and village chairpersons witnessed the turnover rites.
The surrendered guns include 22 shotguns, four Uzi submachine guns, 15 M-79 launchers, 11 .50 caliber Barrett sniper rifles, two .45 caliber pistols, four Garand rifles, a Carbine rifle, four M16 rifles, one M203 launcher, a 60 mm mortar, two single shot rifles, and two .38-caliber pistols.
Lt. Gen. Arnel B. Dela Vega, 6ID commander, lauded the local officials for responding to President Rodrigo Duterte’s call for disarmament in Mindanao. So far, a total of 1,135 firearms were surrendered and recovered in the 6ID’s area of jurisdiction in Central Mindanao. Edwin Fernandez/(PNA)
