RESIDENTS of Upi, Maguindanao del Norte voluntarily surrendered 49 different types of military equipment to authorities on Friday, August 8, 2025, the military said.
Among the weapons surrendered were a caliber .30 Browning Automatic Rifle, 7.62-millimeter rifles, an M653 with attached M203 grenade launcher, M14 rifles, Garand rifles, M1 carbines, grenade launchers, pistols, revolvers, and shotguns.
Lieutenant Colonel Aeron Gumabao, 57th Infantry Battalion (57IB) commander, presented the weapons in a ceremony at Upi town hall to Brigadier General Michael Santos, 603rd Infantry Brigade commander.
“The successful surrender of military equipment is clear proof that our countrymen now prefer peace over violence. This is the result of strong ties and cooperation between the community, local government, and the military to ensure security and order in our area,” Santos said.
All surrendered firearms are currently in the custody of the 57IB for safekeeping.
Major General Donald Gumiran, 6th Infantry Division and Joint Task Force Central commander, said the campaign against the proliferation of loose firearms is one of the keys to maintaining peace and preventing violence caused by armed groups.
The surrender of the unlicensed guns is a result of the implementation of the Small Arms and Light Weapons (SALW) Program, which aims to reduce the number of loose firearms in communities.
Through the program, individuals and groups are encouraged to voluntarily surrender unlicensed weapons to reduce the threat of violence and crime.
The program is implemented in partnership with the Assistance for Security, Peace, Integration, and Recovery (Aspire) Project of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), which supports peace and security initiatives by providing technical assistance and strengthening the capacity of local governments and communities. (SunStar Zamboanga)