North Cotabato village officials back Army fight vs. loose guns
Breaking News • 09:15 AM Sun Nov 21, 2021
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By:
DXMS Radyo Bida Cotabato
PEACE PARTNERS. Local officials supporting Army's disarmament drive pose with Colonel Jovencio Gonzales (center), 602nd brigade commander, and Lt. Colonel Rommel Mundala after the “Balik-Baril” program. (Army photo)
PIKIT, North Cotabato – Village officials here have thrown their support to the Army’s campaign against loose firearms and help prevent the use of guns in next year’s elections.
On Sunday, seven assorted rifles from villages were turned over by local officials to the military’s Joint Task Force Central (JTFC) through the Army’s 90th Infantry Battalion, according to 90th IB commander Lt. Colonel Rommel Mundala.
Mundala said the surrender of unlicensed rifles was made possible with the help from village officials of seven remote villages of Pikit.
They are active Army partners from the villages of Pamalian, Punol, Macasendeg, Damalasak, Kolambog, Silik, and Pulangi all under Pikit Municipality.
The surrendered firearms include two US Carbine Cal 30 rifle, one US Cal 30 M1 Springfield rifle, two M1 Garand Rifles, and two M1917 Enfield rifles.
Colonel Jovencio F Gonzales, commander of 602 Infantry Brigade, has acknowledged the role of the community in realizing this achievement towards peace.
"The people of North Cotabato along with the Local Government Units have been our active partners in the attainment of peace and stability in the Province," Col. Gonzales said in a statement released by the 6th Infantry Division.
Maj. Gen. Juvymax Uy, 6th ID commander and head of JTF Central, has appealed to other local officials in North Cotabato to replicate the efforts made by Pikit, North Cotabato in sanitizing their localities of the presence of loose firearms.
"A community without loose firearms indicates that it is stable and peaceful, free from any threat influence," Maj. Gen. Uy said.