Followers of Maguindanao ex-vice mayor surrender assault rifles
Mindanao Peace Process • 00:45 AM Wed Jul 7, 2021
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By:
John M. Unson
The firearms surrendered by followers of a former vice mayor in Shariff Aguak, Maguindanao. (From PRO-BAR)
MAGUINDANAO --- Three supporters of a former town mayor surrendered assault rifles to the police Monday in support of the government’s disarmament campaign in the Bangsamoro region.
Brig. Gen. Eden Ugale, director of the Police Regional Office-Bangsamoro Autonomous Region, said Tuesday Abby Aguak, Pendatun Ampatuan and Gani Macmod turned in their firearms through the intercession of local officials in Shariff Aguak and the Maguindanao provincial police.
They yielded three M16 rifles and an M14 rifle to Ugale during a simple rite at Camp SK Pendatun in Parang town in Maguindanao on Monday.
The headquarters of PRO-BAR is located inside Camp SK Pendatun.
The three men were supporters of the erstwhile vice mayor of Shariff Aguak, Akmad Ampatuan.
Ugale said the former vice mayor agreed to turn over the three men and their firearms to PRO-BAR to clear himself from allegations purporting he is coddling them.
“We appreciate their voluntary gesture of surrendering three unlicensed rifles,” Ugale said.
Ugale appealed to other mayors in Maguindanao to emulate the former vice mayor of Shariff Aguak, a vote-rich town in the second district of Maguindanao.