WestMinCom holds Brigade Commanders’ Forum on Small Arms and Light Weapons

PAGADIAN CITY, Zamboanga del Sur (July 4, 2021) - The Western Mindanao Command hosted the Brigade Commanders’ Forum on Small Arms and Light Weapons (SALW) on July 1, 2021.

Said activity was initiated by the Joint Normalization Committee (JNC) under the Government of the Philippines (GPH) which is responsible for developing a program to reduce and manage the SALW of individuals and groups in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM).

Lt. Gen. Jose Faustino, Jr., Commander of Joint Task Force Mindanao; Lt. Gen. Corleto Vinluan, Jr., Commander of Western Mindanao Command; Gov. Jim Hataman-Salliman of the Province of Basilan; and Mr. Ariel Hernandez, Chairman, Joint Normalization Committee, Government of the Philippines were among the dignitaries present.

Mr. Hernandez, the Chairman of the JNC presented an overview of the SALW program and the updates on its implementation.

According to Mr. Hernandez, the SALW program aims to restrict the movement and manage the number of loose firearms in the communities, which is one of the main causes of violence in far-flung areas.

“The OPAPP forged a partnership with the provincial local government units of Maguindanao, Lanao del Sur, Basilan, Sulu, and Tawi-Tawi for the implementation of the program on SALW,” said Mr. Hernandez.

In Basilan, nine of its 11 municipalities already pledged support for the implementation of the program on SALW through the signing of Memorandum of Understanding. 

Gov. Hataman-Salliman said the success of the implementation of the program on SALW in Basilan is attributable to the collective efforts and the good relationship established between the security sectors (AFP, PNP) and the local government units.

The Brigade Commanders’ Forum was also attended physically by Rear Admiral Toribio Adaci, Jr., Commander of Naval Forces Western Mindanao; Brig. Gen. Domingo Gobway, Commander, Joint Task Force Basilan; Brig. Gen. Francisco Ariel Felicidario III, Chief, AFP Peace and Development Office; Brig. Gen. Antonio Nafarrete, WestMinCom Deputy Commander for Admin; and other military officers. Other participants attended through Zoom Video Teleconferencing.

In his message, Lt. Gen. Vinluan, Jr. said the armed forces are committed to reduce and manage the small and light weapons of individuals and groups in the Bangsamoro region.

“Peace is not served in a silver platter. Peace is a gift, but we have to work hard to achieve it and we have to involve everybody mirroring the template of the “whole-of-nation approach”,” said Lt. Gen. Vinluan, Jr.

The activity was held at the Eisenhower Hall in Camp Navarro, Calarian, Zamboanga City.

In his remarks, Lt. Gen. Faustino said capacitating and empowering the LGUs are great moves because they are the key solution to the existing problem.

“We have to go beyond our core competency which is warfighting and reach out to the communities,” Lt. Gen. Faustino further said. (By JONG CADION with reports and photos from WestMinCom-PIO)

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