Tawi-Tawi residents surrender loose firearms

COTABATO CITY, Philippines — Eight more unlicensed firearms were turned over to the military in Sitangkai Island, Tawi-Tawi over the weekend.

The firearms, which included three pistols and five rifles, were surrendered to the Army’s 12th Marine Battalion and local officials by the residents of Barangay Sipangkot.

More than 70 unlicensed firearms have been turned over to authorities in the past 12 months in the province.

Lt. Gen. Corleto Vinluan Jr., chief of the Western Mindanao Command, thanked local officials for initiating the collection of loose firearms, which supports the government’s disarmament campaign in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao.