COTABATO CITYย โ Residents of Basilan have turned over 61 more combat weapons to authorities in support of a local disarmament campaign aligned with the national governmentโs peace efforts in Mindanao.
The firearms were surrendered by locals from the cities of Isabela and Lamitan, as well as eight townsโTuburan, Akbar, Sumisip, Maluso, Lantawan, Tabuan-Lasa, and Hadji Muhtamadโon April 9.
Brigadier General Alvin Luzon of the Armyโs 101st Infantry Brigade and Basilan Governor Hadjiman Salliman received the firearms.
Small Arms and Light Weapons
Lieutenant General Antonio Nafarrete, commander of the Western Mindanao Command, confirmed the turnover on Saturday, April 12, noting that the voluntary surrenders were part of theย Small Arms and Light Weapons (SALW) Management Program.
The initiative, launched last year, is a joint effort between the military, provincial government, peace advocacy groups, and the Office of the Presidential Adviser on Peace, Reconciliation and Unity (OPAPRU), led by Secretary Carlito Galvez Jr.
Since the program began, overย 300 unlicensed firearmsย have been collected through backchannel dialogues facilitated by local officials, the military, and the Basilan Provincial Peace and Order Council, chaired by Salliman.
Normalization Agenda: Disarmament Push
The SALW program supports the national governmentโs normalization agenda under the Bangsamoro peace process. A similar initiative is being carried out inย Central Mindanaoย by the Armyโs 6th Infantry Division (6ID) and OPAPRU, covering six provinces and five cities with Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) and Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) communities.
Both groups, which have separate peace agreements with the government, are now assisting in the programโs implementation in Maguindanao del Norte, Maguindanao del Sur, and Cotabato City.
The continued surrender of firearms reflects growing local support for peace-building efforts in the region.
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