28 firearms collected from Lanao Sur town residents
Mindanao Peace Process • 14:30 PM Wed Aug 11, 2021
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By:
John M. Unson
The unlicensed firearms are now in the custody of the Army’s 602nd Infantry Brigade. (6th ID photo)
LANAO DEL SUR --- The police and military collected Tuesday 28 unlicensed firearms surrendered by residents of Wao town through the intercession of local officials.
The cache, 21 shotguns, four .38 caliber revolvers, a .22 caliber revolver, a super .38 caliber pistol, and a 9 millimeter Uzi machine pistol, were turned over by Mayor Elvino Balicao, Jr. to officials of the Army’s 602nd Infantry Brigade and the Lanao del Sur Provincial Police during simple rite Tuesday in the town proper of Wao, Lanao del Sur.
Major Gen. Juvymax Uy, commander of the Army’s 6th Infantry Division, said Wednesday he is grateful to Balicao for helping convince his constituents to voluntarily surrender their unlicensed firearms.
Balicao is chairperson of the municipal peace and order council in Wao, a hinterland town in Lanao del Sur in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao.
Uy, also commander of the anti-terror Joint Task Force Central, said they will intensify their peaceful efforts of collecting unlicensed firearms in central Mindanao as the 2022 elections come close to help ensure a peaceful election in politically-troubled areas in the region.