ZAMBOANGA CITY, Philippines — Soldiers are not exempted from the campaign against loose firearms, a military official said yesterday.
Lt. Gen. Carlito Galvez Jr., Western Mindanao Command (Westmincom) chief, said soldiers should turn over their firearms with expired licenses or have not been registered.
Galvez made the call after Zamboanga City Mayor Maria Isabelle Climaco-Salazar turned over 157 unlicensed firearms surrendered by village watchmen also yesterday.
“Soldiers with unlicensed firearms are not exempted from the campaign against loose firearms...It includes us,” Galvez said.
“We directed military personnel to register their firearms or these will be subjected to seizure or confiscation,” he said.
At least 257 firearms have been recovered in areas under the jurisdiction of Westmincom.
The Zamboanga peninsula police said more than 25,000 of at least 29,418 unregistered firearms in the region have been accounted for.