8th Basilan town backs campaign vs. loose firearms

From the Philippine News Agency (Jun 15, 2021): 8th Basilan town backs campaign vs. loose firearms (By Teofilo Garcia, Jr.)

LOOSE FIREARMS. Brig. Gen. Domingo Gobay, 101st Infantry Brigade commander, inspects one of the loose firearms that officials of Hadji Muhtamad town turned over on Monday (June 14, 2021). Municipal officials signed a memorandum of understanding in support of the Small Arms and Light Weapons program. (Photo courtesy of 101st IB)

Another town in Basilan — the eighth so far — vowed support for the Small Arms and Light Weapons (SALW) program that seeks to lessen, if not eradicate, the proliferation of loose firearms in the province.

Brig. Gen. Domingo Gobway, 101st Infantry Brigade commander, confirmed in a statement on Tuesday that officials of Hadji Muhtamad town expressed their commitment by signing the Memorandum of Understanding for the implementation of the SALW.

Gobway said municipal officials turned over 11 high-powered firearms after the signing, held Monday at the Area Coordination Center of Barangay Tausan.

The firearms were one M-16 Armalite rifle, one modified M-14 rifle, two caliber .30 M-1 Garand rifles, one improvised shotgun, one caliber .30 M-2 Carbine rifle, and five caliber .45 pistols.

Hadji Muhtamad Mayor Nerwelyn Mansul, in her speech, expressed their full support behind the SALW program.

She also announced that Hadji Muhtamad has zero kidnapping cases and killings and has no Abu Sayyaf Group lairs.

Gobway, also the Joint Task Force (JTF) Basilan commander, said the SALW program will hopefully end criminal activities in the province.

He also encouraged other local leaders to continually empower their communities and support the peace advocacy of the government.

The SALW program is being implemented through the Office of the Presidential Adviser on Peace Process and in partnership with the provincial government, JTF Basilan, and the Philippine National Police.

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1143801