COTABATO CITY, Philippines — Officials of five Lanao del Sur towns surrendered up to 140 weapons, including mortars, grenade launchers and sniper rifles, to the 6th Infantry Battalion on Monday, October 2.
The surrender of the weapons was part of the intensified “Oplan Reaper” campaign against loose firearms and criminality in the province, where intense fighting between government troops and extremist gunmen continues more than four months since it broke out on May 23 and prompted President Rodrigo Duterte to place the whole of Mindanao under martial law.
The mayors of Kapatagan, Picong, Marugong, Balabagan and Malabang personally handed over the weapons to 6th IB commander Lieutenant Colonel Ruben Aquino.
The battalion expects more weapons to be surrendered in the coming days based on pledges from residents of the five towns.
