COTABATO CITY — Residents of Mamasapano town in Maguindanao del Sur surrendered 13 combat rifles to the Army’s 33rd Infantry Battalion (IB) on Monday.
Army Brig. Gen. Donald D. Gumiran, commander of the 6th Infantry Division, told reporters on Tuesday that the voluntary turnover was done along with the forging of a peace covenant by candidates for elective posts in Mamasapano in support of efforts to ensure peaceful elections in the municipality in May 2025.
The gathering of candidates was held at the battalion command post of the 33rd IB in Barangay Zapakan in Radjah Buayan, Maguindanao del Sur. It was witnessed by local executives, Muslim religious leaders, and officials of units under the Police Regional Office-Bangsamoro Autonomous Region.
Mr. Gumiran said the peace dialogue, where candidates signed a manifesto expressing support for the security efforts of the Commission on Elections (Comelec), was jointly organized by Comelec officials in the Bangsamoro region, the Maguindanao del Sur Provincial Police Office, the Mamasapano Municipal Police Station, Mamasapano Mayor Akmad A. Ampatuan, Jr., and Col. Edgar L. Catu, commander of the 601st Infantry Brigade. — John Felix M. Unson
