Lanao del Sur town execs turn over 23 loose guns from residents

ZAMBOANGA CITY — Local officials surrendered at least 23 high-powered firearms to the military in Pantao-Ragat, Lanao del Sur over the weekend as part of a government campaign against unregistered guns in Mindanao, which is under a state of martial law.

Maj. Ronald Escano, spokesman of the 1st Infantry Division, said local officials led by Mayor Lacson Lantud turned over the loose firearms to Col. Robert Dauz, commander of the 2nd Mechanized Infantry Brigade. The brigade is part of Joint Task Force Ranao.

Escano said the officials turned over ten Garands, two M4 rifles, an M16A1- M653 Baby Armalite rifle, three M16A1 rifles, a cal-.30 Browning Automatic Rifle, and six cal-.30 carbine rifles.

He said the recently surrender of guns brings to 100 the number of loose firearms turned over in Lanao province since April 16, when the campaign started in the province.

"We are expecting more from other municipalities in Lanao province to follow suit," Escano said.

"We want our town to be peaceful and progressive and we will strive to get even more by convincing other residents to also surrender their unregistered firearms," Mayor Lantud said in a statement.

Maj. Gen. Roseller Murillo, commander of 1st ID and of JTF Ranao, lauded troops for convincing the civilian leadership to lead the surrender of loose firearms in the Lanao area.

He said the recovery of the loose firearms will also hamper any attempts by Islamic State-inspired terrorists to regroup and launch attacks after being repulsed from Marawi City in 2017 after five months of fighting.