Residents of predominantly Moro areas at the border of Maguindanao del Sur and Cotabato provinces surrendered 27 combat weapons to Army officials and local executives on Thursday, May 1, in support of the military’s Small Arms and Light Weapons Management Program
The cache, consisting of M16 and M16 assault rifles, B40 anti-tank and 40 millimeter grenade launchers and a .45 caliber pistol, were turned over by owners to officials of the 40th IB and the 602nd Infantry Brigade on Thursday at Barangay Ladtingan in Pikit through the mayors in their respective towns.
The event was witnessed by Lt. Col. Tristan Vergel Sablada, chief of the Pikit Municipal Police Station and his subordinate-officers.
Major Gen. Donald Gumiran, commander of the Army’s 6th Infantry Division, told reporters on Friday, May 2, that the weapons were surrendered by residents of Pikit and Mlang in Cotabato, Pagalungan and Datu Montawal in Maguindanao del Sur, and Kapalawan in the Bangsamoro Special Geographic Area through the intercession of Brig. Gen. Ricky Bunayog, commander of the 602nd Infantry Brigade and officials of the 40th IB, led by Lt. Col. Erwin Dumaghan.
Bunayog and Dumaghan are together implementing in several towns the SALW Management Program of the 6th ID and the office of Presidential Assistant on Peace, Reconciliation and Unity Carlito Galvez, Jr.
The SALW Management Program is being enforced by the 6th ID in Central Mindanao in support of the normalization agenda of Malacañang’s peace overture with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front.
Gumiran said they are grateful to the local officials, among them the staunch supporter of the government-MILF peace process, Pikit Mayor Sumulong Sultan, who helped Bunayog and Dumaghan secure the surrender of the 27 combat weapons through community dialogues.
Units of the 6th ID had collected more than 700 firearms, including military-type rifles, B40 rocket and 40 millimeter grenade launchers. .30 caliber and M60 machineguns, 81 and 60 millimeter mortars, shotguns and pistols since the division and the office of Galvez started implementing the SALW Management Program in Central Mindanao in July last year. (JFU, MAY 2, 2025)