TROOPERS of the Army’s 601st Infantry (Unifier) Brigade have seized various types of heavy-duty firearms during a clearing operation in Barangay Mao, Datu Abdullah Sangki, Maguindanao del Sur on Sunday.
According to 601st IB commander Brig. Gen. Edgar Catu, the seizure of the weapons resulted from the continuous clearing and combat patrol operations by the troops, based on information provided by local residents.
Among the weapons recovered during the operation were an M60 machine gun, two R4A3 rifles, two M4 rifles, a Bushmaster rifle, several magazines, various calibers of ammunition, and three bandoliers. The cache was considered high-powered firearms typically used by armed groups and could pose a threat to security and order, especially during the election period.
“We are deeply grateful to our citizens for their continued cooperation. Their prompt sharing of information is a vital part of our campaign for a safe, peaceful, and clean election tomorrow. We want to assure the public that only authorized soldiers and police officers are allowed to carry firearms during the elections. We will not allow our voters to be intimidated or deprived of their right to vote,” Catu said.
Meanwhile, Maj. Gen. Donald Gumiran, chief of the 6th Infantry (Kampilan) Division and Joint Task Force Central (JTFC), commended the successful military operation and the cooperation of the civilians.
“The successful recovery of these weapons is clear proof of the effectiveness of the whole-of-nation approach. Through the collaboration of civilians and local government units, we achieved this important success. Our focus remains on security, especially a day before the elections, to ensure peace and order across the region,” Gumiran said.