DATU SAUDI AMPATUAN, Oct. 15 -- The military's campaign against the proliferation of unlicensed firearms in the hands of civilians continues to gain ground, with 34 high-powered firearms turned over to the Army here on Wednesday.

Local officials collected the firearms from civilians and turned them over to the military.

Lt. Col. Loqui Marco, commander of the 90th Infantry Battalion (90IB), facilitated the surrender and turnover of firearms to Brig. Gen. Gremel B. Brual, commander of the 601st Infantry Brigade (601Bde), during surrender rites at the 90IB headquarters in this town.

"I commend local officials for supporting our efforts to reduce, if not totally eradicate, the proliferation of firearms in the hands of wrong persons," Brua...