(Photo courtesy of PNP)
MANILA – The Philippine National Police (PNP) has destroyed a total of 6,526 beyond economical repair (BER), which include confiscated, captured, surrendered, deposited, abandoned, and forfeited-turned PNP property firearms (CCSDAF-TPPF).
PNP chief Gen. Rodolfo Azurin Jr. led the ceremonial demilitarization of assorted discarded firearms at the PNP Grandstand, Transformation Oval, Camp Crame, Quezon City on Monday.
"This demilitarization process renders these firearms and their parts unusable by reducing them to scrap metal, thus preventing them from being recycled into functional firearms,” Azurin said in a statement.
He said the event is part of the PNP's gun control measures to keep firearms off the hands of criminal elements and unauthorized individuals.
The PNP Logistics Office initiated the demilitarization process by conducting inventory and technical inspection on the 25,476 units of CCSDAF-TPPF from Feb. 8 last year to Jan. 25, 2022, followed by a series of demilitarization processes.
Under PNP Memorandum Circular No. 2017-017, the destruction of BER firearms is an allowable method of disposal if these are already unsaleable and may pose a hazard to the public if not destroyed.
The demilitarization process involved cutting individual steel pieces into sections using a circular saw or blowtorch, bending and deforming each piece, deforming hammer and trigger assembly using a blowtorch, grinder, or power tools, and cutting or chopping wooden parts, and stamping aluminum parts.
The cut-up metal pieces are disposed-off as recyclable scrap materials and may be forged or fabricated into farming tools and industrial equipment.
Scrap or waste materials from demilitarized firearms, on the other hand, will be disposed of through public bidding.
Proceeds will be used to support the organization's plans and programs. (PNA)
