Duterte to new AFP chief: Destroy firearms seized from terrorists

Newly installed Armed Forces (AFP) Chief Lt. Gen. Rey Leonardo Guerrero (L)) and Retired Chief Gen. Eduardo Año. NOY MORCOSO/INQUIRER.net

President Rodrigo Duterte on Thursday gave his first order to newly installed Armed Forces (AFP) Chief Lt. Gen. Rey Leonardo Guerrero to destroy “all arms” recovered from the enemies.

“May I just insert something, I will now request the chief of staff, General Guerrero, to supervise the destruction of all arms whether high-powered or hand guns,” Duterte said in his speech during the change of command ceremony at Camp Aguinaldo in Quezon City.

“All of it will be destroyed in some place to show that we are also able to meet the challenges of terrorism and violence,” he added.

Sought for clarification on Duterte’s order, Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana said the President was referring to the destruction of the around 1,000 seized firearms in Marawi City and all other arms recovered from the enemies.

“Kung hindi naman natin kailangan, bakit natin itatago? Kung minsan itatago mo iyan sa armory mo, kung minsan nawawala eh and it goes back to the street to be used by criminals. Sirain na lang natin,” Lorenzana told reporters.

(If we don’t need it, why would we keep it? Sometimes when you hide them in the armory, it disappears and it goes back to the streets to be used by criminals. Let’s just destroy them.) /je