DND chief says no security threat for Holy Week

By Dennis D. Estopace, Reporter
BusinessMirror newspaper
March 26 for March 27, 2013

THE Department of National Defense (DND) has so far hasn’t receive reports of threats from the New People’s Army as the guerilla movement enters its 44th year on Good Friday.

Armed Forces "moved on" from Magdalo case -official

By Dennis D. Estopace, Reporter
March 24 for March 25, 2013
 
THE Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) has “moved on” from the events a decade ago that led to the conviction of two of its officers for mutiny.

PCG resets timeline for Guardian’s removal

By Dennis D. Estopace, Reporter 
March 24 for March 25, 2013
 
THE bow section of the grounded USS Guardian (MCM25) may be cut Tuesday, or nearly four days after the expected full removal of the minesweeper from the Tubbataha Reef.

Afp says troop increase, not ransom, forced Rodwell’s release

Dennis D. Estopace, Reporter
[March 24 for March 25, 2013]
 
AN OFFICER of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) said the increase in the number of soldiers, and not payment of a ransom, forced captors to release Warren Rodwell.

Defense Chief denies calling Kiram's men “guns for hire”

Dennis D. Estopace, Reporter
March 26, 2013
 GOVERNMENT officials united on calling Filipinos affected by the row in Sabah as the “displaced” as Defense Secretary Voltaire T. Gazmin denied a Malaysian counterpart’s reference to the “Royal Sultanate Army” as “guns for hire.”

Govt to buy P46.6M worth of ammo

Dennis D. Estopace, Reporter

The Department of National Defense (DND) announced that it is bidding out P46.6-million worth of bullets and tracer cartridges.

“The DND, government arsenal, through the General Appropriations Act, intends to apply the sum of P46,651,200 being the approved budged for the contract to payments for the supply and delivery of 5.56mm M855 bullet and 7.62mm tracer cartridges.”

The DND said that it will bid out 5.8 million pieces of 5.56mm bullets worth at around P28.4 million while Lot 2 is for 350,000 7.62 mm tracer cartridges worth P18. 2 million.

The DND said it welcomes local or foreign bidders as long as they are eligibile as provided in the Implementing Rules and Regulations of Republic Act 9184 also known as the "Government Procurement Reform Act."

According to a paper on NATO Infantry Weapons Standardization, the 5.56mm rifles are: Belgian-made FNC; G36, Germany; AR70/90, Italy;  L85A2, United Kingdom; and the American-made M16A2.

These were the nominated weapons of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization in 2008, the paper by Per G. Arvidsson of the NATO Army Armaments GroupTel.

The M16A2, is the standard assault rifle issued to the infantry.

The 7.62×51mm, on the other hand, is a rifle cartridge developed in the 1950s as a standard for small arms among NATO countries.

In 1970, the NATO decided to try to standardize a common rifle and a second caliber to 7.62mm, Arvidsson said.

“During 1976-1979, they, therefore, performed mutual tests with rifles and ammunition in West Germany and Canada.”
 
The DND said that interested parties are required to have completed a similar project within the last five years.

Realtors target young professionals

More than half of future residential units targeting young professionals
Dennis Estopace, Reporter

UNITS priced between P1.5 to P3 million will compose the residential condominium development in the Philippines in the next five years.

News: Navy to buy more attack crafts

Image downloaded from
Philippine Navy website.
[Unpublished, Edited by Writer]
Submitted to BusinessMirror: Mar 10 for Mar 11, 2013
By: Dennis D. Estopace, Reporter

THE PHILIPPINE government plans to plunk down P270 million for the purchase of three more "multi-purpose attack crafts" (MPACs).

The acquisition is under our mid-term development plan for 2014 to 2017, Lt. Cmdr. Gregory Fabic said.