LOCAL officials and residents of Pata, Sulu, the site of the deadly massacre of army soldiers in 1981, voluntarily surrendered 48 assorted high-powered firearms into two batches to military authorities in the island province.
The first turnover of the weapons took place on Feb. 2. Pata island Mayor Anton Burahan and some village officials led the surrender of a cache of weapons and ammunitions, which include three 81 MM mortar tubes, a 90 Recoilless Rifle crew-serve weapon, a barrel of Cal. .50 machine guns, four M16 rifles, three M14 rifles, five garand rifles, an M79 Grenade Launcher and several hundred rounds of ammunitions.
On Friday, another batch of local officials and residents surrendered 20 high-powered firearms and war materials to the Joint Task Force Sulu under Brig. Gen. Cirilito Sobejana at the detachment of the 31st Marine Company in Barangay Simbangon, Pata town at around 10:05 a.m.
The surrendered firearms include four M16 rifles, an M653, a Browning Automatic Rifle (BAR) for Caliber .30, thirteen Garand rifles, a Sig 7.62 and magazines of various caliber.
”This was a result of the relentless efforts of our forces in the campaign against loose firearms to pave the way for peace and progress in the province of Sulu,” said Brigadier General Sobejana.
Pata Island was the site of a deadly battle between soldiers of the Army’s 1st Infantry Division and Moro natives which resulted to the death of at least 119 soldiers, the biggest loss incurred by the Armed Forces of the Philippines in a single incident in the Mindanao conflict.
Sobejana said the surrender came following a successful combat operations by Philippine Fleet-marine Ready Force Sulu that led to the discovery of a cache of arms in Barangay Pisak, Pata Island on Jan. 31.
The campaign, Sobejana said, was part of President Rodrigo Duterte’s directive to confiscate and gather all loose firearms including unlicensed firearms of soldiers and policemen.
“As we sustain our momentum, we encourage all those who have a stake in the future of Sulu to take steps against terrorism and support our campaign to remove all tools and implements for violent extremism,” said lt. Gen. Carlito Galvez Jr., commander of the Western Mindanao Command.
So far, the military have already siezed a total of 48 firearms in a span of 10 days in the villages of Niyog-Niyog, Kayawan and Kanjarang, Pata town.
“This all indicates that our campaign is on the right track. We are happy that our strategy of diplomatic mentoring is working among the different areas of WestMinCom.”
Galvez said they are optimistic that more firearms would be seized as the campaign continues.
“We are looking for more positive results under the prudent and effective implementation of Martial Law in Western Mindanao.”
“I would like the people to know that their armed forces through WestMinCom is dead serious in removing all the vehicles of violence all over the region. I therefore enjoin everybody to join us in making Sulu and other areas safe for all of us,” Galvez added.
