Philippines buys P1.9B worth of defective rifles

05/14/2015 – Manila | Remington Arms, the supplier of 50,629 units of M4 assault rifles is in panic mode after the Philippine government threaten to recall the whole lot if the company cannot fix the defective arms within three months.

According to AFP, the president, who is a gun enthusiast was happy after testing several rifles. Aquino participated in the distribution of the rifles last year. The M4 assault rifles will serve as replacement for the aging M16 and M14 that are still in service.

In recent report released by Marksmanship Training Center of the Philippine Army in Camp O’ Donnell, Capaz, Tarlac, the rear sights for all thirty (30) carbines are defective.

“The moving part of the sight is too loose so that it has much movement in all directions and that the vibration affects the accuracy and effectiveness especially at 100-meter to 200-meter distances,” the report said.

Remington Arms has already delivered all units last December 2014. The total cost of the project was Php1,944,261,591,66 or Php38,402,13 per rifle. The Department of National Defense has an additional order of 12,657 units worth Php486,055,759.40 that has yet to be delivered.

All units are currently stored inside Camp Aguinaldo and the distribution has been halted due to the defective sight.

Remington Arms has responded by sending repair kits, parts, and manpower but the DND demanded that the repair should be done within three months as opposed to the four-month commitment by the arms company.

The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) is in dire need of these arms according to the source. Remington will suffer large fine if the company fail to finish the repair in three months.

“These project will be scrapped and we will find another alternative if Remington fail to repair all arms in ninety days” DND ASEC. Patrick Velez said.

See Also: While AFP Chief lands on Kalayaan Island, Senate passes military modernization bill

/fanny Jalacjac/ Assisted Press

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