COTABATO CITY — Concerned citizens of Maguindanao del Norte, Maguindanao del Sur and Sultan Kudarat surrendered their loose firearms to government authorities, the military reported Friday, April 19, 2024.
Lieutenant Colonel Guillermo Mabute Jr., Commanding Officer of the 57th Infantry (Masikap) Battalion, said 58 assorted high and low-powered loose firearms were voluntarily surrendered by concerned citizens from Upi, Maguindanao del Norte; South Upi, Maguindanao del Sur; and Lebak, Sultan Kudarat.
“This significant achievement was part of the Battalion’s relentless campaign against the proliferation of loose firearms, which took place from February 15, 2024 until April 19, 2024,” Mabute said.
The loose firearms that were surrendered include: One 7.62mm SLR Rifle; Two 7.62mm M14 Rifles with magazines and ammunition; Two Cal.30 Carbine Rifles with one magazine and ammunition; One Cal.30 BAR Rifle; One 40mm M79; One RPG; Two Cal.45 Pistols with one magazine and ammunition each; Two 5.56mm Fortilite Pistols; One Ingram-type 9mm; Three Uzi-type 9mm Pistols with one magazine and ammunition each; Five Cal .38 Revolvers; Twenty-two 20-Gauge Shotguns; Fifteen 12-Gauge Shotguns with 10 magazines and ammunition.
The surrendered firearms were officially presented during the Grand Ugnayan ng mga Barangay and Presentation of Loose Firearms ceremony held at the Municipal Gymnasium of South Upi and witnessed by 603IBDE Commander BGen Michael A. Santos, Upi Mayor Ma. Rona Christina P. Flores, South Upi Mayor Reynalbert O. Insular, and Lebak Mayor Frederick F. Celestial.
Among the attendees were Bangsamoro Indigenous Peoples Affair Minister Melanio U. Ulama, 603IBDE, Maguindanao del Sur Provincial IPMR Warlito Bansigan, Alejandro Intar from the Academe, and chiefs of police of the three (3) municipalities.
The surrender of these firearms was made possible through collaborative efforts of 57IB, Local Government Units (LGUs) from the municipal to the barangay level, as well as the Philippine National Police (PNP) in the Battalion’s Area of Operations.
Said initiative demonstrates the ongoing commitment of the 57IB to ensuring peace, security and development in this part of BARMM and Sultan Kudarat Province by curbing the proliferation of loose firearms. (𝐀𝐧𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐚 𝐏. 𝐄𝐬𝐩𝐚𝐧𝐨𝐥𝐚)
