Philippine Army troops discover a significant cache of weapons in a remote village, raising concerns about potential election-related violence and the involvement of armed groups.
Army troops in the Philippines discovered a large cache of firearms in a remote village in the Bangsamoro region's Special Geographic Area (SGA) on Monday, January 20. This significant find, described as the largest in Mindanao since the election gun ban began on January 12, included 19 high-powered weapons such as M203 grenade launchers, M16 rifles, M14 rifles, an RPG launcher, ammunition, and rifle scopes.
The operation, conducted by troops from the Army’s 34th Infantry Battalion, followed a tip-off from concerned citizens about the presence of armed groups in the area. Upon approaching the target, the troops discovered that over 20 individuals had fled, abandoning the weapons to avoid a confrontation. Lieutenant Colonel Rod Orbon, spokesperson for the Army’s 6th Infantry Division, stated that authorities suspect the firearms belonged to either the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF) or the extremist Dawlah Islamiya, who might be using the election season to raise funds by offering their services as hired guns to politicians. The military is intensifying its efforts to monitor private armed groups and prevent any attempts to exploit the election period for violence. Lieutenant Colonel Edgardo Batinay, commander of the 34th IB, emphasized the military's commitment to assisting the Commission on Elections (Comelec) in preventing election-related violence and upholding the rules prohibiting unauthorized firearm possession during the election period.
Philippines Elections Firearms Armed Groups Bangsamoro BIFF Dawlah Islamiya Security
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