7,000 illegal guns targeted in Maguindanao

MAGUINDANAO — The military continued to avoid the use of force to pry up to 7,000 unlicensed firearms from civilian hands in the province, but was bent on recovering the guns, as part of the stepped up campaign against criminality, an Army spokesperson said.

Capt. Arvin John Encinas, spokesperson of the 6th Infantry Division, said the number of unlicensed firearms was provided by the provincial police but does not include those in the hands of members of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), a Moro guerrilla group that struck a peace deal with the government.

“The weapons of the MILF are technically illegal but we have ongoing peace talks,” said Encinas, explaining why rebel firearms were not part of the count.

Encinas said military and police were implementing an amnesty program called “Balik Baril (Surrender Guns),” which officials hoped would entice owners of illegal guns to give up their weapons.

He said the military had asked for the help of village officials in the campaign as “these guns might have been used” to commit crimes.

Diplomatic

Lt. Gen. Carlito Galvez Jr., head of the Western Mindanao Command, based in Zamboanga City, said the military “would continue to employ a diplomatic approach” in recovering unlicensed firearms.

Police continued to enforce laws against illegal firearms and arrested a man roaming in the town of Buadipuso-Buntong in Lanao del Sur, with an unlicensed gun. —Jeoffrey Maitem, with a report from Divina Suson