Army receives 2,819 new US made assault rifles, 200 radios

From the Philippine News Agency (Jan 27): Army receives 2,819 new US made assault rifles, 200 radios

CAMP EVANGELISTA, Cagayan de Oro City -– The Army 4th Infantry Division (4ID) here received 2,819 new US-made assault rifles and 200 Harris radio, a military officer announced Wednesday.

Capt. Patrick Martinez, spokesperson of the Army 4ID, said that the newly-acquired weapons are part of the modernization program of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP).

Martinez said that the turnover of the newly-acquired firearms was held Tuesday making Mindanao as the early recipients of these assault weapons.

He said that prior to the delivery of the new assault rifles, the government troopers are using the 5.56mm M16 rifle from the United States military, which are leftover during the Vietnam war.

Martinez said that the government troopers would start the turnover of the older firearms on Wednesday in exchange of the new Remington R4 assault rifles.

He said that the 4ID has six line units, which would receive the new firearms. These are the 4th Division Reconnaissance Battalion, 8th Infantry Battalion (8IB), 26IB, 29IB, 30IB, 36IB and the 58IB.

http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=2&sid=&nid=2&rid=851097