2 more Basilan towns back drive vs. loose firearms

From the Philippine News Agency (Jun 4, 2021): 2 more Basilan towns back drive vs. loose firearms (By Teofilo Garcia, Jr.)

GAINING HEADWAY. The campaign against the proliferation of loose firearms continues to gain headway as two more Basilan towns express support on Thursday (June 3, 2021). Photo shows Maj. Gen. Bartolome Vicente Bacarro, 2nd Infantry Division command (2nd from left), inspecting one of the loose firearms surrendered during the signing of a memorandum of understanding at the headquarters of the 68th Infantry Battalion in Lamitan City, Basilan. (Photo courtesy of the Joint Task Force Basilan)

The campaign against the proliferation of loose firearms continues to gain headway as two more towns expressed support to the Small Arms and Light Weapons (SALW) program of the government in Basilan province.

Lt. Gen. Corleto Vinluan Jr., commander of the Western Mindanao Command (Westmincom), said Saturday the towns of Akbar and Tuburan also seek to lessen, if not eradicate, the number of small arms and light weapons of individuals and groups to prevent them from creating havoc in the communities.

Vinluan said the support was made through the signing of the memorandum of understanding (MOU) between mayors Alih Sali of Akbar and Durie Kalahal of Tuburan in a ceremony Thursday at the headquarters of the 68th Infantry Battalion in Barangay Campo Uno, Lamitan City, Basilan.

Last month, the local government officials of the municipalities of Hadji Mohammad Ajul, Tabuan-Lasa, and Lantawan signed the MOU in support of the SALW program.

Brig. Gen. Domingo Gobway, Joint Task Force (JTF)-Basilan commander, stressed the importance of the SALW program in achieving lasting peace and continuous development in the province of Basilan.

“This bold move is a great help in our effort to sustain peace for the peace-loving Basileños,” Gobway said.

Meanwhile, Basilan Gov. Hadjiman Hataman-Salliman, emphasized that the SALW program is not a program of the provincial government, but an initiative of the national government, through the Office of the Presidential Adviser on Peace Process (OPAPP) and Joint Normalization Committee (JNC).

“We should not politicize this SALW program. We should support this in order to lessen the number of crimes that are related to the proliferation of loose firearms,” Salliman said.

Maj. Gen. Bartolome Vicente Bacarro, 2nd Infantry Division commander, who witnessed the activity, expressed his admiration for the unwavering support of the local government officials of Basilan to the military.

“I am astounded by the sincerity of the Basileños to support the call of President Duterte to end terrorism and insurgency here in Mindanao,” Bacarro said.

The activity was highlighted by the surrender of loose firearms by residents of Akbar town, through Sali, including seven Garand rifles, and two grenade launchers.

A day after the event, Kallahal handed over the loose firearms to Lt. Col. Freddie Calosing, 68th Infantry Battalion commander.

“This is a brilliant action that others should emulate to ease and hasten our campaign against terrorism and criminalities,” Vinluan said.

“The armed forces fully support this program and through this, we expect an enhanced cooperation between and among peace advocates,” he added.

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1142688