AFP destroys thousands of guns, magazines

The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) destroyed on Thursday 1,561 firearms and 55,730 magazine assemblies in an effort to curb the proliferation of illegal and loose firearms in the country.

The firearms and magazines were either captured, confiscated, surrendered and recovered (CCSR) through legitimate military operations and community engagements up to 2016.

“This program will significantly reduce the number of unserviceable CCSR firearms and eventually dispose all unofficial and dilapidated weapons in the inventory of the AFP,” said AFP Vice Chief of Staff Vice Admiral Gaudencio Collado Jr. delivered by Major General Erickson Gloria, the Deputy Chief of Staff.

The ceremonial demilitarization was part of the 12th Founding Anniversary of the AFP Munitions Control Center (MCC), a unit primarily mandated for the accounting and destruction of CCSR firearms and magazines, which were determined as non-standard, obsolete and beyond economical repair.

It also helped AFP units inspect and maintain their firearms and ensure that serviceability of their issued weapons.

“This translates to the 90 percent completion of the demilitarization program of the Philippine Army. Likewise, I would like to commend the AFP MCC for this successful demilitarization,” VAdm Collado said.