MARAWI CITY -- Military authorities said troops recovered 30 high powered firearms from Lake Lanao while they were conducting search and clearing operations near the Bandaringin Mosque in Barangay Marinaut last Sunday, November 12.
Colonel Romeo Brawner, deputy commander of Task Group Ranao, said a member of the search team saw a weapon visible from the surface.
When he dove down to get it he discovered that there were many more firearms under water.
"It is believed that the terrorists, during the last hours of the firefight, threw their weapons into the lake when they smelled defeat. It was perhaps when they were about to make their final escape," Brawner said in a statement.
More firearms are believed to be still in the lake and search operations are continuing, the military said.
Joining the search teams are composed of soldiers from the 55th Infantry Batallion, Scout Ranger Class 202, 1st Scout Ranger Batallion, Civil Military Operations Personnel, military engineer unit, mechanized units, Explosive Ordnance Division Personnel and the waterborne units of 12th Division Reconnaisance Company and the 6th Special Forces Batallion.