By Jong Cadion
Zamboanga City (March 8, 2018) - Seven
Municipalities of Sulu, through its municipal and barangay officials,
handed-over 187 firearms in a ceremony officiated by the WestMinCom Commander
at 10AM Tuesday (March 6), military official said.
“I am a witness to the bloodshed and
ordeals of Suluanons. Now, the people of Sulu want tranquility and peace. With
our platform, we are now seeing the trust and support of the mayors to the
President and our soldiers. This continuous campaign is a confidence-building
measure that will not only breed harmony but peace and development here in the
province and the whole Mindanao,” said Lieutenant General Carlito G. Galvez,
Jr., Commander of the Western Mindanao Command.
Western Mindanao Command (WestMinCom) Cpt
Jo-Ann D. Petinglay said that Municipal and barangay officials from Talipao,
Parang, Omar, Indanan, Maimbung, Jolo, and Patikul, Sulu turned over nine M14
rifles, three 30 Caliber BAR rifles, nine M79 Grenade Launchers, sixty-four M16
rifles, three ARI5 rifles, ninety-three M1 Garand rifles, four M203 Grenade
Launchers, and two Caliber 45 pistol.
“On behalf of the men and women of the
WestMinCom, I would like to express my gratitude to all the municipal mayors
and the representatives for handing over 187 firearms today. You know this is a
record that we were able to have this much firearms in one day only. We know
that the firearms are very important to the Muslims, but now they are
surrendering these for peace,” added Lieutenant General Galvez, Jr.
Mayor Nebukadnezar Tulawie surrendered
60 high and low-powered firearms, consisting of 41 M16 rifles, three ARIS
rifles, twelve M1 Garand rifles, two M79 Grenade Launchers, one Bar, and one
M14 rifle.
Tulawie said in his message, “Siguro
alam din po ng karamihan sa atin na kami po sa Talipao ay sumusunod sa
direktiba ng goberno sa pagsugpo sa mga lawless elements dito sa sulu. Maraming
salamat po sa ating mga kasundaluhan sa pagbibigay ng pagkakataon na kami ay
mag turn-over ng baril sa maayos na paraan at di yung basta nalang pinasok at
ginalaw tayo sa ating mga pamamahay.”
Parang Mayor Madzfar Loong and Omar
Mayor Jusshin Muhammad yielded 63 high and low-powered firearms composed of a
30 Caliber rifle, twelve M16 rifles, forty M1 Garand rifles, six M79 and one
M203 Grenade Launchers, and three M14 rifles.
“We want to thank the President for
declaring Martial Law in Mindanao because your campaign effectively implemented
the gun control here in Sulu. We only have eight barangays that is why we only
surrendered twelve firearms, but we will have more firearms from the civilians.
Now, I can say that the municipality of Omar is one of the peaceful communities
here in Sulu,” said Muhammad.
Maimbung Acting Vice Mayor Alliman Tan
turned over 20 firearms composed of a 30 Caliber rifle, five M16 rifles, six M1
Garand rifles, two M203 Grenade Launchers, four M14 rifles, and two Caliber 45
pistols.
“What I see is that, this is a big
leap for us here in Sulu. May this surrender resolve the conflicts because we
also want peace and serenity here in our Province. We hope that we can improve
our partnership with the Army,” said Tan.
Busbus, Jolo Barangay Captain Rigduan
Lindog also yielded 20 firearms consisting of four M16 rifles, fourteen M1
Garand rifles, an M203 Grenade Launcher, and an M14 rifle.
Indanan Mayor Hermont Jikiri and Vice Mayor
Allan Jainal surrendered 24 firearms composed of two M16 rifles, twenty-one M1
Garand rifles, and an M79 Grenade Launcher.
“We support the program of the
President because we know that this is not only for us Suluanons but for all of
us,” said Jikiri in his message.
The ceremonial turnover of firearms
was held at Kuta Teodulfo Bautista Gymnasium from 10am to 11:30am Tuesday.
Brigadier General Cirilito Sobejana, Commander
of the Joint Task Force Sulu, thanked and congratulated the chief executives of
Sulu municipalities for supporting their “efforts to eradicate loose firearms,
saying that “the President’s directive to return firearms that are sources of
war is a good approach towards a gun free and peaceful province.”
“Today is a start of our journey
towards making Sulu free from firearms since 187 are turned over to us by local
officials,” he added.
“The Mayor of Pata Island Municipality was the
first to voluntarily hand-over crew serve weapons and loose firearms from Sulu
Province, and his act is worthy of emulation. Today, I congratulate the rest of
the Chief Executives who are here showing their full support in the
government’s campaign to eradicate loose firearms.”
“On behalf of the officers and men of
the WestMinCom, I would like to thank our President for the clear direction and
the support for the soldiers. We would also like to thank the mayors for giving
up something significant to them in exchange for peace and prosperity. I know
that these firearms are very important to Muslims, but, for the sake of peace,
they are surrendering all of these,” said LtGen Galvez.
“I am grateful that they fully support
the President and they trust the AFP, by doing this very humble gesture.”
“We will check if there are firearms
that are from the military’s inventory, after that assessment will be conducted
as to the serviceability. It is only then that we make recommendations for the
possible demilitarization of these FAs,” added the WestMinCom Chief.
Cpt. Petinglay further said that the
187 firearms and crew serve weapons were transported to Zamboanga City by
Philippine Airforce C130 plane for inventory and assessment at WestMinCom
headquarters. From January 1 to March 6, 2018, a total of 616 loose firearms
were recovered by the Joint Task Forces under the WestMinCom. Of this record, a
total of 126 firearms were recovered and surrendered in Central Mindanao, 30 in
ZamPeLan, 221 in Zamboanga City, and 239 in Sulu.
No comments:
Post a Comment