COTABATO CITY — Officials of the Army’s 6th Infantry Division (ID) are optimistic about collecting no fewer than a thousand more combat weapons from Central Mindanao residents this year through its regional disarmament program complementing the Mindanao peace process.
Major Gen. Antonio G. Nafarrete, commander of the Army’s 6th Infantry Division, told reporters on Monday that local executives have reported that leaders of armed groups and villagers have relayed intentions to comply with the Small Arms and Light Weapons Management (SALW) Program.
Units of the 6th ID had collected 537 combat weapons, comprised of M16 and M14 assault rifles, M1 Garand and Carbine rifles, .50 caliber Barrett sniper rifles, 7.62-millimeter bolt-action sniper rifles, M60 and .30 caliber machineguns, 40-millimeter grenade and B-40 rocket launchers and 60- and 81-millimeter mortars, since August 2024, surrendered by owners in support of the SALW Program.
“Credit for that feat should partly go to local executives, traditional community leaders and police officials who helped us convince them to surrender their weapons to our units,” Mr. Nafarrete said.
Mr. Nafarrete said commanding officers of different 6th ID units have also been receiving surrender feelers from the few remaining members of the two now moribund terror groups in Central Mindanao, the Dawlah Islamiya and the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters lately.
“We are expecting the few remaining members of these two groups to soon come out and pledge loyalty to the government as a prelude to their reintegration into mainstream society,” Mr. Nafarrete said. — John Felix M. Unson
