Lantawan in Basilan has been officially declared free of the Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) on Tuesday, June 4.
Basilan governor Hajiman Hataman-Salliman issued the declaration in a ceremony which took place at the municipal covered court in Barangay Manggas.
The declaration was supported by top military and police officials in the province. Residents also presented firearms recovered from and surrendered by the ASG: a .50 caliber Barrett sniper rifle, two M1 Garand rifles, one MAC-11 machine pistol submachine gun, a shotgun, an M79 grenade launcher, and two .45 caliber pistols.
The ASG was founded in Lantawan by Abdurajak Abubakar Janjalani in 1990. For decades, the town was a bulwark for the terrorist group, and subject to the acute violence of armed confrontation.
The declaration is a historical one, where the Lantawan residents', the local government's, and the military's calls for freedom prevailed, said Brigadier General Alvin Luzon of the 101st Infantry Brigade.
Lantawan mayor Nasser Abubakar said the declaration was a triumph in the campaign against violent extremism in Basilan.
Western Mindanao Command (WESMINCOM) Commander William Gonzales praised the historical transformation in the area.
