OMAR, Sulu — A resident of Barangay Niangkaan voluntarily surrendered a 60mm mortar to military officials recently, marking a step forward in the local government’s campaign to declare this Sulu province town a “gun-free municipality.”

Brig. Gen. Alaric Avelino delos Santos, commander of the 1102nd Infantry Brigade, said that the surrender followed a face-to-face dialogue between the resident and the military. The high-explosive mortar is an indirect-fire weapon designed for infantry support.

The 101st Infantry Battalion led the initiative in coordination with Niangkaan village officials, including Punong Barangay Habib Juddin Pantasan.

Delos Santos described the surrender of the high-powered explosive as a significant win for local security and a shift away from a “culture of armament.”

“This breakthrough directly supports the municipal-wide campaign to officially declare Omar a gun-free municipality,” Delos Santos said, noting that “soft-power” diplomacy and community-led approaches are often more effective than traditional combat operations.

Lt. Col. Dante E. Mantes, commanding officer of the 101st Infantry Battalion, credited village leaders for their cooperation.

“Community participation is the lifeblood of peace,” Mantes said. “This act shows that security is most effective when it is maintained at the grassroots level.”