PNP chief inks P1-B pistol deal

MANILA -- Philippine National Police (PNP) Director General Nicanor Bartolome approved Thursday the contract for the purchase of police service pistols after overpricing allegations of another firearms deal surfaced this month.

The P1.198-billion contract, which was awarded to winning bidder Glock Asia Pacific and its local partner, Trust Trade Philippines, will provide 59,904 units of nine millimetre Glock 17 Generation 4 pistols to the police force.

The contract was submitted last September 10 to Bartolome, who had 15 days to approve or disapprove the deal.

The contract was signed Thursday afternoon in the presence of officials from the PNP Command Group and Bids and Awards Committee (BAC).

With the signed deal, the government will purchase the supply of pistols with only a unit cost of P16,659.
 
Director General Emelito Sarmiento, BAC chairman, said the PNP saved P200 million due to the contract. He added that the savings could fund a re-order of 12,000 more handgun units.

Sarmiento said last week that the purchase would fill up the needed short firearms of policemen and would replace their old revolvers.

Police Director Arnulfo Perez, PNP Director for Logistics, said the procurement allows the PNP to acquire a standard police handgun similar to those modern units used by 60 percent of police forces in America, Europe and Asia.

"Police units in the field are assured of uniformity and interchangeability of parts of their issued handguns under any type of operating condition," Perez said.

With the approval of contract, the BAC is scheduled to issue a Notice to Proceed to Trust Trade Philippines within the next three days.

The delivery period for the service pistols is expected to be completed within 570 days. The first 12,000 units would be delivered sometime in February 2013. 

The pistol deal was signed a week after allegations of overpricing regarding the procurement of M4 assault rifles came out.

The alleged overpriced rifle deal was discovered by no less than President Benigno Aquino III and the late Interior Secretary Jesse Robredo. It has been suspended since then and is being reviewed by the PNP logistics office.

Regarding the pistol deal, Agham Representative Angelo Palmones said last week that more than 20,000 units have already been shipped to the country even though the contract is yet to be signed back then.

However, Sarmiento had dismissed the allegation. 

The PNP has claimed that there are no irregularities in the purchase of service weapons for the police force.

"This particular procurement program, the biggest in recent years and most advantageous for government, shall henceforth set the standard for transparency and accountability in future procurement programs," Bartolome said.

At present, the PNP has an assortment of 85,689 handguns issued to 143,104 personnel.

The institution expects to gain a total of 172,289 handguns in its inventory once all ongoing and upcoming procurement programs are completed.

The PNP assured that there will be enough handguns for its 148,000 active duty personnel and new police recruits. (Emmanuel Louis Bacani/Sunnex)