Politics · Philippines Bureau
Military pushes firearms surrender campaign in Maguindanao del Sur
Military officials in Maguindanao del Sur are calling on residents to intensify support for the government's illegal firearms buyback program. The drive has yielded at least 34 unlicensed weapons from civilians in recent weeks.
LSN Philippines ·
COTABATO CITY — Military commanders in Maguindanao del Sur are urging the public to maintain momentum behind the government's campaign to remove loose firearms from circulation in the province.
Lt. Col. Loqui Marco, commander of the 90th Infantry Battalion, oversaw the surrender and turnover of firearms on Wednesday as part of the ongoing weapons reduction initiative. The latest batch of recovered weapons included at least 34 unlicensed guns surrendered by civilians.
The military has framed civilian participation in the voluntary surrender program as crucial to enhancing public safety and reducing armed violence in the region. Officials have emphasized that residents who turn in unregistered firearms can do so without legal consequences.
The weapons recovery drive reflects broader efforts by government security forces to strengthen peace and order in Mindanao. Military units across the region have been conducting similar initiatives to encourage citizens to relinquish illegal arms and help reduce the proliferation of uncontrolled weapons.