PNP to acquire over 17K Israeli-made assault rifles

PNP officer-in-charge, Lt. Gen. Archie Gamboa on Monday said he had already signed the Implementing Arrangement with IMOD East Asia Regional Director Nuni Sella on December 11 for the procurement of the rifles from the Israel Weapons Industries (IWI), one of the leading arms manufacturers in the world. (File Photo: Philippine National Police/Facebook)

MANILA — The Philippine National Police (PNP) is set to acquire 17,048 new units of 5.56m Basic Assault Rifle amounting to PHP712,927,360 sourced from the 2019 General Appropriations Act, PNP officer-in-charge.

PNP officer-in-charge, Lt. Gen. Archie Gamboa on Monday said he had already signed the Implementing Arrangement with IMOD East Asia Regional Director Nuni Sella on December 11 for the procurement of the rifles from the Israel Weapons Industries (IWI), one of the leading arms manufacturers in the world.

The PNP National Headquarters Bids and Awards Committee has entered into a collaboration with the Israel Ministry of Defense (IMOD) through the ‘Government to Government’ (G2G) mode of acquisition.

“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,” said Gamboa who used to chair the National Headquarters-Bids and Awards Committees (NHQ-BAC).

Gamboa cited the Basic Assault Rifle has a price of only PHP41,820, much lower than the price per unit obtained through public bidding.

In a letter from DND dated March 18, 2019, the defense department said “the MOU is an executive agreement ratified by the President, it is applicable and may be utilized by the PNP for its procurement on a G2G arrangement with IMOD for which this Department fully support and recommend.”

To fully exercise the said accord, the PNP through the Procurement Management Committee and the PNP NHQ Bids and Awards Committee, has conducted market study and several deliberations on the latest procurement of Basic Assault Rifle and Light Machine Gun conducted through by the PNP NHQ BAC Public Bidding. The study and determinations of the PNP NHQ BAC included the procurements 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 unit price of around PHP168,000.

In 2017, the PNP NHQ BAC through public bidding has procured 8,170 units of Basic Assault Rifle for a price per unit of PHP87,995.

Similarly in 2017, the PNP NHQ BAC through Public Bidding has procured 698 units of Basic Assault Rifle for a price per unit of PHP82,000.

In 2018, the PNP through Public Bidding has procured 7,700 units of Galil Ace for IWI from a price per unit of PHP46,999.

In 2019, the PNP has procured 5,767 units Basic Assault Rifle for the same price of PHP46,999.

“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.

He also noted the G2G mode of procurement has laid the path for the PNP to procure Basic Assault Rifle of the same superior quality for a price per unit of PHP41,000 only, far lower than the price per unit obtained through public bidding.

“Aside from its firm legal anchorage and transparency, backed up by intelligent market research, the Government-to-Government mode of procurement truly is transparent, corrupt-free and beneficial to the government,” he said.

The weaponry of the PNP is even made more superior and standardize through G2G as part of the continuing effort of the PNP leadership and the national government to enhance the firepower, mobility, and tactical capabilities of PNP operating units to serve and protect the Filipino people, Gamboa noted.