MAYOR Lacson Lantud of Pantao-Ragat, Lanao del Norte led town officials in voluntarily turning over 23 assorted high-powered loose firearms to military authorities, officials said Monday, April 23.

Major Ronald Suscano, Army’s 1st Infantry Division information officer, said Lantud handed over to Colonel Robert Dauz, 2nd Mechanized Brigade commander, the following firearms: 10 Garand rifles; two M4 rifles; four “baby” Armalite rifles; one caliber .30 Browning Automatic Rifle (BAR); and, six Carbine rifles.

These were deposited for safekeeping at the headquarters of the 2nd Mechanized Brigade in Iligan City.

“We fully support the national campaign of the military and the government against loose firearms. We want our town to be peaceful and progressive and we will strive to get even more by convincing other residents to also surrender their unregistered firearms,” Lantud was quoted by Suscano as saying.

During the ceremony at the Pantao-Ragat town hall on April 21, Dauz encouraged the officials to continuously convince their constituents to surrender their loose firearms and fully cooperate with the local government and the military to attain peace and development.

Suscano said that a total of 100 loose firearms have been surrendered in Lanao del Norte as of April 21, 2018, including the 27 in Salvador town and 20 in Matungao. The series of firearm turnover ceremonies started in Munai town on April 6. (SunStar Philippines)