High-powered firearm, explosives recovered from Lanao Lake

By Jong Cadion

ZAMBOANGA CITY (November 24, 2017) - Combat divers of the naval special operations group and the Special Forces elite unit while conducting search and recovery operation in Lake Lanao, Barangay Marinaut, Marawi City, recovered a high powered firearm and Rocket Propelled Grenades Thursday morning (November 23), military official said.

Western Mindanao Command (WestMinCom) information officer Cpt Jo-Ann D. Petinglay disclosed that seized were an M60 machine gun, two Rocket-propelled grenade (RPG) launchers, thirteen high explosive RPG rounds, and eighteen rifle grenades.

“It has been 37 days since the liberation of Marawi, but our troops still recover armaments from the Main Battle Area which are believed to be from the members of the Daesh-inspired Maute terror group,” said Brigadier General Murillo, Commander of the JTF Ranao.

“Search and recovery operations will continue until we are certain that Marawi is totally cleared,” BGen Murillo added.

Cpt Petinglay said that following the declaration of Marawi City from terrorist elements by the end of October 2017, reconstituted JTF RANAO sustained the clearing and mopping-up operations in the former Main Battle Area. Since then, scores of high powered firearms and Improvised Explosive Devices were recovered from the area including from Lake Lanao area.

Last November 12, 30 assorted high powered firearms were also recovered by the combat divers from the lake, she added.

Earlier this week, soldiers were able to retrieve one cal .30 machine gun, one M16 rifle, one sniper rifle and one colt M4 rifle.

“I would like to commend our soldiers in Marawi for their unfaltering effort to ensure that every single war materiel is recovered even in the murky waters of the lake,” said Lieutenant General Carlito G Galvez, Jr., commander of the Western Mindanao Command.

“This mission is never easy especially that there is a possibility for these munitions to explode in the process. I am however confident that our combat divers are seasoned and well-experience for this task,” the WestMinCom Chief added.

“My congratulations to our very dedicated troops under Joint Task Force Ranao."