THE KAPALAWAN Provincial Committee of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), under commander Kineg Inalang, turned over nine firearms to Brigadier General Patricio Ruben P Amata, Commander of the 1002nd Infantry “Bagwis” Brigade, 10th Infantry “Agila” Division.
The ceremonial handover was held through local peace engagements facilitated by local government officials of Carmen, Cotabato, led by Mayor Roger Talino.
The surrendered firearms, consisting of two M653, an M203 Grenade Launcher (GL), two M14, an M16, and three Garand rifles, were from the dismantled Guerilla Front 53, Subregional Committee 3 (SRC3) of the New People’s Army and previously under the safekeeping of the Kapalawan Provincial Committee.
This initiative aligned with the recent declaration of Cotabato Province as NPA-free on Oct. 8, 2024.
1002nd IB commander Brigadier General Amata thanked the government units (LGUs), communities, former rebels, and the MILF’s Kapalawan Provincial Committee for their roles in recovering all firearms.
“I commend the steadfast dedication of our OpCon battalions, particularly the 72nd Infantry Battalion (72IB) and the 39th Infantry Battalion (39IB), for their crucial role in attaining positive peace in Cotabato. Their resolve and commitment have been instrumental in this historic achievement,” said Amata.
