Loose firearms handed over in WestMinCom AOR

By JONG CADION

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PAGADIAN CITY (Jan. 9, 2021) – As a result of the continuing campaign against the proliferation of loose firearms of the units under the command and control of the Western Mindanao Command, more civilians were convinced to voluntarily hand over their loose firearms, WestMinCom Official disclosed.

WestMinCom Commander Lt. Gen. Corleto Vinluan, Jr. said the local government officials led by Mayor Montasir Sabal handed over one crew-served weapon and eight firearms to the 2nd Mechanized Infantry Battalion in a ceremony held at Talitay Municipal Hall in Maguindanao on Friday morning, January 8, 2021.

WestMinCom PUBLIC Information Officer LTC Alaric Avelino P. Delos Santos said that Talitay Mayor Sabal handed over the following firearms to 2nd MechBn Commander Lt. Col. Omar Orozco; one 60mm mortar, one Colt AR M16 rifle, two locally-made 12 gauge Shotgun, two locally-made 7.62mm Sniper rifle, one M1 Garand cal. 30 rifle, one locally-made cal. 38 revolver, and one modified M16 rifle.

Mayor Sabal said the firearms were handed over by the locals from the different barangays of his town.

Lt. Col. Orozco in his message, “This is a result of the strengthened collaboration among the local government units, security forces, and the stakeholders”.

Likewise, JTF Central Commander Maj. Gen. Juvymax Uy encouraged the people of central Mindanao to give their trust to the military and support the campaign against loose firearms to attain lasting peace in the region.

(photos contributed by PIO WestMinCom)

Meanwhile, a certain Akmad Usman, 50 years old, married, and a resident of Saloria pondohan, Barangay Sipangkot, Sitangkai, Tawi-Tawi handed over one 9mm revolver with three rounds of live ammunition to the marine troops at Sipangkot Detachment while a certain Umbay Sikal Anjah, 44, and a resident of Sapalangkit, Barangay Sipangkot of the same municipality handed over one Colt .45 caliber pistol with one empty magazine and two rounds of live ammunition to the same unit.

The newly-promoted commander of the Joint Task Force Tawi-Tawi Brig. Gen. Arturo Rojas said the consistent community engagement and initiative of the marine troops in conducting assembly meetings and security forums to the different municipalities of Tawi-Tawi resulted in the voluntary surrender of loose firearms.

“We would like to attribute this accomplishment to the good governance of the local chief executives,” Brig. Gen. Rojas added.