By LITO RULONA
Correspondent
FOURTH Infantry Division commander Maj. Gen. Benjamin Madrigal Jr. on Wednesday led the destruction of 164 assorted firearms that were seized by soldiers or surrendered to the military as a result of its operations.
The firearms were destroyed during a formal program on the demilitarization of the “confiscated, captured, surrendered and recovered” weapons at Camp Edilberto Evangelista in Barangay Patag, this city.
The guns were destroyed with the use of a circular saw. These included four 12-gauge shotguns, 16 caliber .38 revolvers, three 9mm pistols; four caliber .380 pistols, three caliber .22 pistols, a 5.56 caliber rifle, 35 caliber .45 pistols, two caliber .22mm rifles, two SMGs and two RPGs.
Madrigal said 69 serviceable firearms mostly AK-47s were set aside to be integrated to the supply line of the Armed Forces.
He said AK-47s would be sent to the National Police so the serial numbers could be checked.
“Hindi na magagamit yung nasira at hindi na maging functional. We have a disposal program for the firearms. Ito yung tinatawag natin na mga armas na hindi standard,” he said.
Madrigal said the defective or substandard firearms were mostly seized during military operations, including checkpoint operations, and some were laid down by rebels who surrendered.
Meanwhile, Madrigal announced that 11 soldiers and militiamen were removed dismissed from the service for testing positive for illegal drug use.
He said three members of the Citizens’ Armed Forces Geographical Unit (Cafgu) and eight enlisted personnel were found positive for drug use out of 988 soldiers under the 4th ID who were subjected to random drug tests.
He said they have conducted the random drug test as part of the national government’s efforts against illegal drugs.
Madrigal said the drug tests were done ahead of the Army’s new role in law enforcement operations in Northern Mindanao and Caraga.
Madrigal said that in the previous months, joint military and police operations have so far resulted in the confiscation of over 96,000 fully grown marijuana and marijuana stalks, and P28 million worth of metamphetamine hydrochloride or shabu weighing about 848 grams.
“The 4th ID is leading in our transformation program in the Philippine Army,” he said.
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