By
Jong Cadion
ZAMBOANGA
CITY (March 28, 2018) - Another 106 firearms were voluntarily handed over
by officials and locals of four municipalities in Maguindanao Province to the
Joint Task Force Central on March 26 and 27, 2018, military official said.
Western
Mindanao Command (WestMinCom) PIO Cpt Jo-Ann D. Petinglay
said
that while President Duterte was in Sulu to receive hundreds of unregistered
armaments and Abu Sayyaf rebel returnees, Major General Arnel Delavega, Commander
of the Joint Task Force Central and his subordinate commanders also received
100 armaments from the officials of Mamasapano, Pagalungan and Datu Montawal
Municipalities.
At
9am Monday (March 26), thirteen (13) barangays of Mamasapano, Maguindanao
headed by the Municipal Mayor, Hon Tahirodin Benzar A Ampatuan voluntarily
surrendered 25 assorted firearms to 40th Infantry Battalion in a simple
ceremony at the Municipal Hall of Mamasapano. The event was witnessed by the
Officers and personnel of Mamasapano Municipal Police Station (MPS) together
with DILG personnel headed by Mr Ricardo Padulino, other local officials and
residents of the said municipality. The LGU of Pagalungan headed by Municipal
Mayor, Hon Salik Mamasabulod also surrendered 45 assorted unregistered firearms
to 7IB and 602Bde before noon time the same day. In the afternoon, Mayor
Montawal of Datu Montawal municipality also turned-over 30 assorted loose
firearms.
Cpt
Petinglay further said that the following armaments that were surrendered were
listed as follows: two 60mm mortars; two M16 rifles with attached M203 GL; 17
M14 rifles; 15 cal 50 Barret (HM); 12 M1 Garand rifles; two 5.56mm Ultimax
rifles; four cal 30 M1 Carbines; one cal 30 Springfield rifle (bolt action);
one cal .45 pistol; three M79 grenade launchers; five Rocket Propelled Grenade
Launchers; 12 40mm Grenade Launchers; three cal .45 (HM) KG9 machine pistol;
one 9mm (HM) Uzi machine pistol; one cal .45 (HM) Uzi machine pistol; one
Winchester pistol; 17 12-gauge shotguns; and one baby (HM) Thompson.
Tuesday
(March 27) at 9:15 AM, 6 armaments including one mortar were turned over by
officials of Shariff Aguak Municipality to Lieutenant Colonel Enrique Clement.
Municipal
Mayor Marouf Ampatuan led the turnover of one 60mm mortar; one M79 grenade
launcher; one M4 carbine rifle; one barret; one uzi, and one Ingram pistol to
the authorities.
“Units
took custody of the surrendered firearms and were brought to their respective
headquarters for initial inventory, documentation, and safekeeping,“ said Major
General Arnel Delavega.
“We
will continue to work convincing others to surrender their undocumented
firearms in the entire Joint Task Force Central’s area of operations.”
The
surrender of firearms is part of the “Balik Baril” Program initiatives of the
local government of Maguindanao amid the intensified campaign of the AFP
against proliferation of loose firearms in the implementation of Martial Law in
Mindanao. For 2018 alone, a total of 293 undocumented firearms were already
turned over to the authorities in Maguindanao Province, Cpt Petinglay added.
“We
would like to reiterate our call to all peace loving people of Western Mindanao
to cooperate in the President’s campaign to clear the country of undocumented
firearms,” said Lieutenant General Carlito Galvez, Jr., Commander of the
Western Mindanao Command.
“You
decide the soonest while you can still be free from the legal liabilities. Once
the probation period is over, you will be legally charged if firearms are recovered
in your possession.”
“Since
we started this campaign, we know that the number handed over will just
comprise 10percent of the entire number of loose FAs in the entire Western
Mindanao.”
“Decide
now and become a part of the effort to bring peace in Mindanao and in the
entire country,” added LtGen Galvez.
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