ZAMBOANGA CITY (PNA) – The military seized a weapons cache from a house in Sitio Pasabuli, Barangay Tongbakaw, Panglima Sugala, Tawi-Tawi Thursday, July 22.
Lt. Col. Charlie Caña, Marine Battalion Landing Team (MBLT) 12 commander, said Saturday, July 24, that the arms cache consisted of three M16A1 rifles, one M203 grenade launcher, three M16A1 handguards, one 3-9X40E scope, 14 long and six short M16 magazines, two 40-mm ammunition, a rifle grenade, four chest rigs, and 352 rounds of 5.56-mm live ammunition.
Marine troops conducted a maritime security patrol after a tip by a concerned citizen that two unidentified civilians were transporting assorted firearms using watercraft to Sitio Lookan, Barangay Banaran, Sapa-Sapa, Tawi-Tawi from Tongbakaw.
The soldiers chanced upon the house where they seized the arms cache but its occupant, a certain “Tasil,” managed to escape, Caña said.
He added the confiscated firearms were placed under the custody of the 212th Marine Company for safekeeping while the operating troops coordinated with the local police for follow-up operations.
Col. Romeo Racadio, newly installed commander of the Naval Task Force Tawi-Tawi and 2nd Marine Brigade, commended the MBLT-12 troops for the successful recovery of the high-powered firearms which might be used for terrorism.
“Your Marines here in the southern part of the country will not allow perpetrators to disturb the peace that the municipality enjoys,” Racadio said.
Lt. Gen. Corleto Vinluan Jr., commander of the Western Mindanao Command, congratulated the troops of Joint Task Force Tawi-Tawi for the recent accomplishment.
“The Armed Forces, together with our partners, will continue to curb lawlessness in our area of operation,” Vinluan said.