(Eagle News Service) — The Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) has returned 16 firearms taken from the members of the Philippine National Police Special Action Force (PNP-SAF) killed in Mamasapano, Maguindanao.
The guns were returned to the Philippine government through the efforts of the Joint Coordinating Committee on the Cessation of Hostilities (JCCSH). The recovered PNP-SAF firearms were returned by the MILF’s 105th Base Command.
Among the firearms returned were an M60 machine gun, one Minimi with barrel, two M203 rifles, 12 M4 with accessories, five empty magazines and one cellphone. All these were taken from the PNP-SAF members slain in the “misencounter”.
The MILF said this was proof of their sincerity to pursue the peace process already started with the Philippine government.
In a press briefing at the 6th infantry Division in Awang, Maguindanao Wednesday morning (Feb. 18), MILF political affairs chief Mohaquer Iqbal said more weapons will be returned to the government as the MILF continued to talk with the various groups that now hold the PNP-SAF weapons.
The other SAF firearms were taken by the members of the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF), various lawless armed groups and other civilians near the encounter site.
Iqbal promised to find the other weapons of the “Fallen 44” so these could be returned to the government and the families of the SAF commandos.
The 6th Infantry Division will turn over the recovered PNP-SAF weapons to the PNP in a turn-over ceremony at the PNP-National Capital Region command in Camp Bagong Diwa, Bicutan,Taguig. (translated from a report of Eagle News Maguindanao correspondent Odessa Cruz)
