PNP to buy from Israel over 17,000 new assault rifles
The Philippine National Police is set to a acquire over 17,000 new assault rifles.
PNP Officer-in-charge Archie Francisco Gamboa signed the Implementing Arrangement with Israel Ministry of Defense (IMOD) East Asia Regional Director Nuni Sella on December 11 for the acquisition of 17,048 units of 5.56m basic assault rifle worth P712 million.
The weapons would be manufactured by the Israel Weapons Industries (IWI), one of the leading arms manufacturers in the world.
“As the Philippine National Police posted 98 percent absorptive capacity for the procurement of new police equipment, the PNP National Headquarters Bids and Awards Committee has entered into a momentous collaboration with the IMOD through the ‘Government to Government’ (G2G) mode of acquisition,” Gamboa said in a statement.
In a radio interview on Sunday, Police Brigadier General Bernard Banac said the firearms will be issued to the PNP elite forces, special units and mobile companies.
“This will be used for future threats of global terrorism,” Banac said.
According to Gamboa, each basic assault rifle has a price of only P 41,820, much lower than the price per unit obtained through public bidding.
“The procurement through G2G was no easy undertaking. We initiated this undertaking. Through various discussions and coordination with the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), Department of National Defense (DND), and Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), the historical procurement was given birth,” he said.
The PNP said the mode of procurement was originally based on the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the DND and IMOD for the procurement of defense and security equipment under a Defense Cooperation Agreement.
To fully exercise the said accord, the PNP, through the Procurement Management Committee (PMC) and the BAC, has conducted market study and several deliberations on the latest procurement of basic assault rifle and light machine gun.
The market study and determination of the BAC and PMC included the procurement conducted by the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA).
Based from curated records, PDEA through public bidding, has procured 600 units Galil Ace (basic assault rifle) from IWI for a price per unit of around P 168,000.
In 2017, the BAC, through public bidding, had bought 8,170 units of basic assault rifle for a price per unit of P87,995 and 698 units of basic assault rifle for a price per unit of P82,000.
In 2018, the PNP through public bidding, had procured 7,700 units of Galil Ace from IWI for a price per unit of P46,999.
And in 2019, the policemen acquired 5,767 units of basic assault rifle for the same price of P46,999.
“These procurement projects were done through competitive public bidding, and these projects passed the very rigid and strict post-qualification procedures, test and evaluation, and acceptance requirements of the PNP,” Gamboa said. Ella Dionisio/DMS
