By Priam Nepomuceno
Aside from acquiring modern handguns for its police officers, the Philippine National Police claims to have saved P200 million when it approved the P1.2 billion supply contract for 59,904 units of Glock 17 Generation 4 pistols.
Deputy Director General Emelito Sarmiento, PNP deputy chief for administration, said the P200 million will allow them to fund a re-order of an additional 12,000 handgun units.
While Director Arnulfo Perez, PNP director for logistics, said this procurement program allowed them to acquire a handgun similar to short firearms used by 60 percent of all 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," he said.
The PNP currently has an assortment of 85,689 handguns issued to 143,104 personnel.
It expects to amass a total of 172,289 handguns in its inventory upon completion of all ongoing and forthcoming procurement programs to include 14,696 more handguns to be procured from an unused 2010 appropriation and 12,000 more to be acquired thru the P200 million savings generated from the 2011-2012 Capability Enhancement Program.
"There will be enough handguns to arm all 148,000 active-duty personnel and new police recruits joining the force in the next couple of years, with enough reserves to compensate for breakage and losses," Perez stressed.
PNP head Director General Nicanor Bartolome has approved a P1.2 billion supply contract that will provide modern handguns to all 148,000 members of his command.
This is funded by a combined 2011-2012 CEP appropriations.
Bartolome extended the commendation of President Benigno S Aquino III and DILG Sec. Mar Roxas to the PNP Bids and Awards Committee, including the proponents and participating bidders that made this landmark procurement possible, consistent with provisions of the revised Implementing Rules and Regulations of Republic Act 9184 or the Government Procurement Reform Act, contained in the Handbook on Philippine Government Procurement.
"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.
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