ZAMBOANGA CITY -- Police said on Friday that at least 39 unlicensed firearms were surrendered by barangay officials of RT Lim town, Zamboanga Sibugay province.
Chief Insp. Helen Galvez, Police Regional Office 9 (Zamboanga Peninsula) information officer, said the firearms were surrendered in a ceremony held at the municipal gymnasium of R.T. Lim on Wednesday.
Galvez said surrendered were 17 homemade 12-gauge shotguns; four homemade caliber .38 revolvers; 11 homemade “pistolized” shotguns; two caliber .45 pistols; two caliber .20 rifles; two caliber .22 rifles; and a caliber .357 revolver.
She said the village officials also surrendered five long magazines, two short magazines, and two gun barrels.
During the turnover ceremony, police called on local residents to surrender unlicensed and unregistered firearms to the police or military “to ensure peace and tranquility in the community.”
Galvez said the surrendered guns were placed under the custody of the Provincial Logistics Branch of the police in Zamboanga Sibugay.
The surrender ceremony was attended by Supt. Edwin Verson, deputy provincial director for operations; Col. Bagnus Gaerlan, 102nd Infantry Brigade commander; Lt. Col. Diosdado Carlos Pambid, 6th Special Forces Battalion commander; RT Lim Mayor Michael Piodena; and Pastor Santiago Briones of the Assembly of God. (PNA)
