TURNED OVER GUNS. The four high-powered firearms turned over by the local officials of Datu Piang, Maguindanao to the Army’s 57th Infantry Battalion in support of the government’s disarmament campaign on Friday (Aug. 21, 2020). The guns included a .50-caliber Barrett sniper rifle, a Carbine rifle, and two US-made .30-caliber M1 Garand rifles. (Photo courtesy of 57IB)
COTABATO CITY – A town mayor in Maguindanao on Friday showed his support to the disarmament program of the government by turning over four high-powered firearms to the military.
Mayor Victor Samama of Datu Piang, Maguindanao, personally handed over a .50-caliber Barrett sniper rifle, a Carbine rifle, and two US-made .30-caliber M1 Garand rifles to Lt. Col Jonathan Pondanera, commander of the Army’s 57th Infantry Battalion (IB).
Pondanera lauded the gesture of the mayor in helping the Army recover firearms in the hands of unauthorized persons.
He urged other local government executives in his area of operation to follow the move of Samama who wished peace and development to prevail in his town.
“Only the police, the Army, and government security agents are allowed to possess and carry guns, other than them, those who have unlicensed guns will be subjected to law enforcement operations,” Samama later told reporters at the event.
Samama said he has also tasked village officials in his town to collect unlicensed firearms from residents in their respective areas or face the military and police later on.
Pondanera said the surrender of guns will help improve the peace and order situation of Datu Piang and its nearby areas.
Since 2017, the Army’s 6th Infantry Division, the mother unit of the 7IB, was able to gather more than 1,500 assorted firearms from those unauthorized to possess guns with the help of local government executives. (PNA)
