COTABATO CITY — The Army’s 6th Infantry Division (ID) has collected 36 more firearms voluntarily surrendered by residents of Bagumbayan town in Sultan Kudarat in support of a disarmament campaign meant to ensure a peaceful electoral exercise in 2025 and boost Malacañang’s Mindanao peace process.   

The cache, comprised of assault rifles, M79 grenade launchers, shotguns, bolt-action sniper rifles, .357 and .38 caliber revolvers and a .45 caliber pistol, was turned over by owners to officials of the 7th Infantry Battalion  (IB) during a surrender rite in Barangay Kapaya in Bagumbayan last Monday.

Major Gen. Antonio G. Nafarrete, commander of 6th ID, told reporters on Wednesday that he is grateful to residents of Bagumbayan for having agreed to turn in their firearms voluntarily in compliance with the division’s Small Arms and Light Weapons Management (SALW) Program.

The SALW Program is being implemented by units of 6th ID in Central Mindanao’s Maguindanao del Norte, Maguindanao del Sur, Cotabato, Sultan Kudarat, South Cotabato and Sarangani provinces and in the cities of Cotabato, Tacurong, Koronadal and General Santos.

Mr. Nafarrette said residents of Bagumbayan agreed to surrender their firearms to the 7th IB through the intercession of its battalion commander, Lt. Col. Tristan Rey P. Vallescas, and his immediate superior, Brig. Gen. Michael A. Santos of the 603rd Infantry Brigade and local officials in the municipality.

Units of 6th ID had collected, since 2021, more than 2,000 assault rifles, M60 machineguns, 40-millimeter grenade launchers and B40 anti-tank rocket launchers from residents of different towns and cities in Central Mindanao, among them incumbent local government officials, barangay leaders and traditional Moro community figureheads. — John Felix M. Unson

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