COTABATO CITY — The Army collected 20 more combat weapons on Saturday, turned in by Moro villagers in Talitay, Maguindanao del Norte in support of a disarmament program complementing the Mindanao peace process.
Lt. Gen. Antonio G. Nafarrete, commander of the Army’s 6th Infantry Division (ID), told reporters on Monday that assault rifles, bolt-action sniper rifles, pistols, grenade, and rocket launchers were surrendered by residents of Talitay through the intercession of local executives and officials of Army units covering the municipality.
They agreed to turn over their weapons to Lt. Col. Robert F. Betita of the 1st Mechanized Battalion and to the acting commander of the 601st Infantry Brigade, Col. Ricky P. Bunayog, after both officers and barangay leaders in Talitay had explained the intricacies of the Small Arms and Light Weapons (SALW) Program.
Residents of Talitay submitted for 6th ID’s custody of their combat weapons during a symbolic rite at their local government operations center last Saturday.
The SALW Program is being implemented jointly in Central Mindanao by the 6th ID and the office of Presidential Adviser on Peace Reconciliation and Unity Carlito G. Galvez, Jr. — John Felix M. Unson