By Jong Cadion
PAGADIAN
CITY, Zamboanga del Sur (March 15, 2018) - Another 20 loose firearms were
formally turned over to the 40th Infantry Battalion and the 1st Mechanized
Infantry Battalion by the LGU of Sultan Sa Barongis, Maguindanao at their
municipal gym, Wednesday (March 14), military official said.
Western
Mindanao Command (WestMinCom) Cpt Jo-Ann D. Petinglay disclosed that the
ceremonial turnover was spearheaded by Mayor Ramdatu M. Angas of Sultan Sa
Barongis in the presence of Brigadier General Bismarck D. Soliba, Commander of
the 1st Mechanize Infantry Brigade; Brigadier General Diosdado C. Carreon, Commander
of the 601st Infantry Brigade; and Police Senior Superintendent Agustin Tello,
Police Director Maguindanao. Yielded were two M14 rifles, four Garand rifles, a
Carbine, two Barrets, two M79, four Rocket-Propelled Grenades, a Springfield, a
homemade Grenade Launcher, an M203 Grenade Launcher, and two Submachine guns.
“With the
positive result of our campaign, we are confident that more local officials and
the people of Mindanao will heed to the call of the government to end the
proliferation of loose firearms in Mindanao. We are glad that we are receiving
such positive response from our local government units and other sectors,” said
Lieutenant General Carlito G. Galvez, Jr., Commander of the Western Mindanao
Command.
“This will
pave the way for the cessation of hostilities and bring forth development in
Mindanao,” he added.
Cpt
Petinglay stresses that from January 1 to March 15, 2018, the Joint Task Force
Central recovered a total of 179 loose firearms. This brings to 678 the total
number of loose firearms recovered or surrendered to the Joint Task Forces
under the Western Mindanao Command. Military troops recovered 30 loose firearms
in ZamPeLan, 221 in Zamboanga City, and 248 in Sulu.
Brigadier
General Carreon and Brigadier General Soliba, both expressed their appreciation
to the people of Sultan Sa Barongis for their genuine gesture in giving up their
firearms.
“This
endeavor was made possible through the collaboration of the brigades and the
local chief executives in the province of Maguindanao in support to the
campaign against loose firearms,” said Major General Arnel Dela Vega.
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