Major General Yegor Rey Baroquillo Jr., commander of the Army’s 1st Infantry Division, inspects some of the 230 guns surrendered by Lanao del Sur residents. Looking on is Brigadier General Billy Dela Rosa, commander of the Army’s 103rd Infantry Brigade. (Photos by Richel V. Umel, Inquirer Mindanao)
MARAWI CITY – The regional Army leadership here has welcomed the surrender of loose firearms in Lanao del Sur province ahead of the conduct of the May 12 midterm elections.
Major General Yegor Rey Baroquillo Jr., commander of the Army’s 1st Infantry Division, said that with lesser weapons that can potentially be used to distort the security situation in the province, they are expecting reduced opportunities for violence during the upcoming polls.
Baroquillo on Friday inspected some of the 230 guns turned in by civilians from the 2nd District of Lanao del Sur to the Army’s 64th Infantry Battalion during his visit to Kampo Ranao, seat of the Army’s 103rd Infantry Brigade, which is responsible for overseeing internal security throughout Lanao del Sur province.
The firearms were surrendered under the Small Arms and Light Weapons management program of the Office of the Presidential Adviser on Peace, Reconciliation and Unity.
The program aims to prevent crimes, especially in the conduct of the midterm elections, by siphoning off loose firearms that are currently in the hands of civilians in the communities.
Source: 230 loose firearms surrendered to Army in Lanao del Sur
