LOCAL leaders from the Datu Blah Sinsuat in the province of Maguindanao have surrendered 24 unlicensed guns to military authorities.
Brigadier General Cirilito Sobejana, Army's 6th Infantry Division commander, said the surrender of the firearms coincided with the mass oath taking on Tuesday, June 19, of the newly-elected barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) officials municipal covered court.
Sobejana said the firearms that were surrendered came from the 13 village of Datu Blah Sinsuat as part of the Balik-Baril Program of the government.
He said the firearms were handed over by Datu Blah Sinsuat Mayor Raida Tomawis Sinsuat in a ceremony held at the town's covered court.
Sobejana has thanked municipal leaders of Datu Blah Sinsuat for helping in the government's firearms reduction program for this will contribute in the safety of everybody during Martial Law in Mindanao.
He said there are bigger responsibilities for the newly elected barangay and SK officials with their constituents since monitoring of loose firearms is the responsibility of every village leader.
The handover ceremony of the loose firearms was graced by Maguindanao Governor Esmael Mangudadatu and Brigadier General Melquiades Ordiales Jr., commander of the 1st Marine Brigade. (Bong Garcia/SunStar Philippines)