CAMP SIONGCO, Maguindanao Norte (PNA) – Local officials of Datu Odin Sinsuat (DOS) town in Maguindanao del Norte province surrendered 36 assorted high-powered firearms to the military in support of the government’s campaign against loose firearms.
In a statement on Saturday, July 15, DOS Mayor Lester Sinsuat said the firearms came from residents of the town’s 34 barangays.
“We are fully supporting the government’s campaign against loose firearms,” the mayor said.
Sinsuat and other town officials turned over the loose firearms to Lt. Col. Tristram Tolentino, Army 2nd Mechanized Infantry Battalion (IB), based in the area on Friday, July 15.
Tolentino later presented the firearms to Col. Nasser Lidasan, Army 6th Infantry Division (ID) deputy commander, and Police Col. James Gulmatico, deputy director for operation of the Police Regional Office in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao.
Surrendered firearms were a .50-caliber machine gun, a .50-caliber sniper rifle, a Garand rifle, nine M14 rifles, five M16 rifles, two 12-gauge shotguns, eight M79 grenade launchers, five 9mm Uzi submachine guns, a .22-caliber rifle, a .38 caliber revolver, and two homemade guns.
Four explosives, comprising two rocket-propelled grenades and two 40mm rifle grenades, were also surrendered.
Major Gen. Alex S. Rillera, Army 6th ID commander, lauded the DOS officials for their initiative.
"Every firearm that we collect from unauthorized persons is equivalent to saving the life of innocent civilians in DOS town,” Rillera, also the commander of the Joint Task Force Central, said.
Also on Friday, the 6th ID announced that troopers from the 40th IB discovered a lair of a local terrorist group in Barangay Salman, Ampatuan, Maguindanao del Sur with running trenches and abandoned war materials.
Rillera said the seized war materials included improvised explosive device components, an M16 rifle magazine assembly with 20 bullets, a bandolier, and a chest rig tactical gear.
Also recovered were assorted personal belongings, construction materials, and cooking utensils.