Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) chief Lt. Gen. Bartolome Vicente Bacarro on Friday presided at the destruction of 307 firearms mustered by the Army in Maguindanao.
The destruction of the weapons, referred to by the military as “demilitarization,” highlighted Bacarro’s visit at the 6th Infantry Division (ID) headquarters in Datu Odin Sinsuat town to celebrate Christmas, AFP public affairs chief Col. Jorry Baclor said in a statement Sunday.
The visit, Baclor said, was meant to boost the morale of the troops, especially those who would not be able to go home and be with their families on Christmas day.
Baclor said the 307 assorted firearms placed under “demilitarization” were either confiscated or recovered during operations of the unit from January to early December this year, while and some were voluntarily surrendered to the 6th ID.
“Demilitarization” is the military’s term for the destruction of firearms to make them unusable, cutting them into pieces and burning the parts to ensure that they are completely destroyed.
Bacarro cited the division for its accomplishment, adding that the demilitarization of the firearms contributed heavily to the AFP’s mandate of protecting the country and its people.
“This ceremony may just look like an ordinary activity, however, this has an effect on the community as we were able to remove these firearms from the hands of the bad people that may cause harm to the public. As we demilitarize these firearms, we contribute to the attainment of a peaceful community as we aim towards economic improvement and development,” Bacarro said.
