PAGADIAN
CITY (March 27, 2018) - President Rodrigo Roa Duterte received loose and
undocumented firearms and Abu Sayyaf surrenderees in Patikul, Sulu yesterday
(March 26).
Western
Mindanao Command (WESMINCOM) information officer Capt. Jo-Ann D. Petinglay said
that during the ceremony, military commanders led by WesMinCom Commander
Lieutenant General Carlito G. Galvez, Jr., presented 652 firearms to the
President.
Capt.
Petinglay said that also attended the turn-over ceremony were Sulu Local
Government Units headed by Governor Abdusakur “Toto”Tan II and the Municipal
LGUs, Mayor Hatta Berto of Pandami Municipality, Mayor Arthur Muksan of Siasi,
Mayor Al-Frazier Abdurajak of Panamao, Mayor Allayon Arbison of Luuk, Mayor Hadar
Hajiri of Lugus, Mayor Nasser Daud of Tapul, Mayor Benshar Estimo of Panglima
Estimo, Mayor Amilhamja Taib of Pangutaran, Mayor Abraham Burahan of Panglima
Tahil, Mayor Peping Halun of Kalingalan Caluang, Mayor Whajid Sahidulla of
Tongkil, Mayor Madzhar Loong of Parang, and residents of the province.
Capt.
Petinglay disclosed that the 652 firearms yielded in Sulu consisted of 9
Caliber .50 machine guns, 3 Caliber .30 machine guns, 4 units of 81mm mortars,
5 units of 60mm mortars, 2 units of 90mm recoilless rifles, a 57mm recoilless
rifle, 5 units of Barret sniper rifles, a Rocket-Propelled Grenade/B40, an M60
Machine Gun, 138 units of M16A1 rifles, 31 units of M14 rifles, 373 units of M1
Garand rifles, 14 units of M2 Carbine rifles, 7 units of AK47 rifles, 26 units
of M79 Grenade Launchers, 6 units of M203 Grenade Launchers, 9 BARs, 6 G1/FAL,
a shotgun, 3 KG9, 6 Caliber .45 Pistols, and a Caliber .38 pistol.
Of
the 652 loose firearms presented to President Duterte yesterday, 332 were
yielded to the JTF Sulu in earlier this year, while 320 firearms were turned
over by the local officials to the troops in Barangay Busbus, Jolo, Sulu on
March 24, Capt. Petinglay said.
Capt. Petinglay also said that the Local
officials on March 24 turned over three 81mm mortars, a 60mm mortar, a 90
recoilless rifle, two Caliber .50 HMG, a Caliber .30 LMG, an M60 GPMG, a K3
SAW, 49 M14 7.62mm rifles, 141 M16A1 5.56mm rifles, three M4/R4A3 5.56mm
rifles, 14 M653 5.56mm rifles, 14 M203 Grenade Launchers, 174 M1 Garand rifles,
seven Caliber .30 Carbine rifles, an AK-47 7.62mm Kalashnikov rifle, an FN FAL
7.62mm, 15 M79 Grenade Launchers, a Barret, three BAR Caliber .30 rifles, two
G-1/Sig 7.62mm rifles, 21 Caliber .45 pistols, a Caliber .38 revolver, a
Caliber .22 rifle, four KG9 9mm Uzi, and two shotguns.
Governor
Tan turned over six firearms consisting of a Caliber .30 Light Machine Gun, a
57mm RL, a Caliber .50 Heavy Machine Gun, a Rocket-Propelled Grenade 7, a 60mm
Mortar, and a Barret.
Mayor
Berto yielded 31 firearms composed of a Caliber .50 heavy machine gun, five M16
rifles, an M203 Grenade Launcher, six M14 rifles, three G1 rifles, and 15
Caliber .30 Garand rifles.
Mayor
Muksan handed over 51 firearms consisting of 35 Caliber .30 Garand rifles, four
M14 rifles, a BAR, two Carbine rifles, two M79 Grenade Launchers, five M16
rifles, a FAL, and a Caliber .50 Heavy Machine Gun.
Mayor
Abdurajak yielded 35 firearms, consisting of 11 Caliber .30 Garand rifles, two
BAR, 16 M16 rifles, three M79 Grenade Launchers, an M14 rifle, a FAL, and a
Caliber .50 HMG.
Mayor
Arbison turned over 44 firearms composed of 13 Caliber .30 Garand rifles, two
M14 rifles, 15 M16 rifles, an M60 rifle, a 90 Recoilless Rifle, two Caliber .50
HMGs, seven AK47, an 81mm mortar, an M203 Grenade Launcher, and an M79 Grenade
Launcher. Mayor Hajiri yielded 23 firearms composed of three Carbine rifles, 17
Caliber .30 Garand rifles, and three Barrets.
Mayor
Daud yielded an M16 rifle and 15 Caliber .30 Garand rifles.
Mayor
Estino turned over 23 firearms composed of five M16 rifles, nine Caliber .30
Garand rifles, four M14 rifles, two M79 Grenade Launchers, a BAR, a 60mm
Mortar, and a Barret.
Mayor
Taib handed over 31 rifles consisting of 25 Caliber .30 Garand rifles, an M14
rifle, an M16 rifle, an M203 Grenade Launcher, and three M79 Grenade Launchers.
Mayor Burahan yielded 10 Caliber .30 Garand rifles.
Mayor
Halun turned over 14 rifles composed of a Caliber .50 HMG, a 60mm mortar, 11
Caliber .30 Garand rifles, and an M16 rifle.
Mayor
Sahidulla yielded 35 firearms consisting of two M79 Grenade Launchers, an M203
Grenade Launcher, two M16 rifles, six Carbine rifles, two BAR, and 22 Caliber
.30 Garand rifles.
Mayor
Loong handed over a Caliber .50 HMG.
For this year alone, a total of 1,079 loose firearms were yielded to and recovered by the Joint Task Forces under the WestMinCom in the joint area of operations.
“This
showcases the harmonious relationship and trust built between local government
units and the security sector as principal actors in building peaceful and
progressive communities in Mindanao amid our sustained campaign to end lawless
violence and demilitarize armed groups in the regions. Notwithstanding this
success, we will continue to employ a diplomatic approach in calling for the
involvement of local officials and other partners for peace. I attribute this
to the efforts exerted by our troops in conducting dialogues and tapping local
officials in Western Mindanao,” said Lieutenant General Galvez, Jr.
“This
is just the beginning of Sulu becoming a peaceful province. I made the
politicians think that loose firearms are causes of criminalities. If the
number of firearms is reduced, this will significantly result in the deterrence
of the crime rate in the province. The local officials are very supporting of
the President’s campaign, although they are emotionally affected. They bid to
change the mindset and change their thinking that the firearms are symbols of
authority,” also said Brigadier General Cirilito Sobejana
Lieutenant
General Galvez, Jr. also presented 76 Abu Sayyaf surrenders to the Commander-in-Chief.
Out
of the 76 Abu Sayyaf members presented to the President, 48 surrendered last
year to Joint Task Force Sulu units while 28 surrendered this year. The
surrenderers also turned over a total of 205 firearms to the government.
“I came here to see that the Abu Sayyaf
surrenderers are treated just like the communist terrorists surrenderers. Every
time they surrender, someone has to take over and look after them. The
Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) will be tasked to
teach them new skills,” said President Duterte.
From
January 1, 2017 to March 26, 2018, a total of 202 Abu Sayyaf members yielded to
the Joint Task Forces in the joint area of operations, 85 of whom surrendered
in Basilan, 79 in Sulu, 36 in Tawi-Tawi, and two in Zamboanga City.
“Sulu,
in time memorial, has suffered violence again and again. I have been here many
times, but the situation is just the same. I don’t abhor you (Abu Sayyafs)
because I understand the situation. As the president, I want to help you but,
first, help me bring peace for the Moros in Mindanao. I am the only president
that has a heart for the Muslims. All those who want to surrender are welcomed
but those who want to fight, know that the government is ready,” PRRD added.
Also
present during the activity were Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana, Cabinet
Secretary Leoncio Evasco, Jr., National Security Adviser Hermogenes Esperon Jr,
Secretary Arthur Tabaquero, the Presidential Adviser for Military Affairs,
Secretary for the Interior and Local Government Eduardo Ano, TESDA Director
General Secretary Guiling Mamondiong, General Rey Leonardo Guerero, AFP Chief
of Staff, Rear Admiral Rene Medina, commander of the Naval Forces Western
Mindanao Command, Mayor Kerkar Tan of Jolo, Sulu and former Sulu Governor
Abdusakur Tan.
Said
turnover ceremony was held at the Multi-Purpose Gym Capitol in Patikul, Sulu at
2pm yesterday (March 26). (With WesMinCom PR)
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