Philippines
The Philippines continues to deal with surplus ammunition, unexploded ordnance and landmines resulting from the long-standing presence of non-state armed groups, mainly in Mindanao. Due to this leftover ammunition, parts of the territory remain dangerous and require clearance work. The country also faces illicit weapons and ammunition trafficking.1 Ammunition management systems therefore need to contribute to demilitarisation and prevent the cross-border diversion of weapons and ammunition.2
The UN Regional Centre for Peace and Disarmament in Asia and the Pacific (UNRCPD) and Nonviolence International are working on the ground to support the through-life management of ammunition, in collaboration with the Filipino Ministry of Defence. Efforts have included carrying out regional training sessions for national forces on preventing the diversion of ammunition, developing regional and national mechanisms for the regulation of weapons and ammunition, raising awareness of the dangers related to the accumulation of surplus ammunition stockpiles and sharing best practices on ammunition management.3
1 Jason Gutierrez, “A Family Craft with a Deadly Toll: Illegal Gun Making,” New York Times, April 7, 2019, https://www.nytimes.com/2019/04/07/world/asia/philippines-illegal-guns.html.
2 “Philippines Mine Action: Contamination and Impact,” Landmine & Cluster Munition Monitor, December 17, 2012, http://www.the-monitor.org/en-gb/reports/2021/philippines/mine-action.aspx.
3 “Ammunition Management Activity Platform (A-MAP),” GICHD, 2022, https://a-map.gichd.org.
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Further information
Accidental explosions
Since the Small Arms Survey began collecting data in 1979, numerous accidental explosions have been reported in the Philippines.
Table 1. Accidental explosions in the Philippines (1979–2021)
| Year | Location | Owner/manager | Deaths | Injuries |
2017 | Tarlac City | State (military) | 0 | 1 |
2015 | Pililla | Non-state (military) | 0 | 1 |
2014 | Manila | State (military) | 0 | 25 |
2008 | Datu Odin Sinsuat | State (military) | 0 | 0 |
2005 | Taguig | State (police) | 0 | 107 |
2004 | Quezon City | State (police) | 0 | 4 |
1998 | Tarlac City | State (military) | 0 | 0 |
1995 | Zamboanga City | State (military) | 1 | 34 |
Source: “Unplanned Explosions at Munitions Sites (UEMS) Database,” Small Arms Survey, updated December 15, 2021, https://smallarmssurvey.org/database/unplanned-explosions-munitions-sites-uems.
Cases of diversion
Several cases of diversion have been reported since 2013 in the Philippines.
Table 2. Cases of diversion of arms, ammunition and explosives in the Philippines since 2013
| Year | Location | Description |
2019 | Muntinlupa | A 9 mm pistol loaded with 11 bullets was found to have been stolen from the Philippine National Police (PNP). |
2014 | Manila | 20 pieces of Sphinx Compact SDP, 16 Kriss Vector SDP, 12 Caracal F., 8 Sphinx 3000 Compact, and 3 Arcus 98 DAC were stolen from the storage facility of the PNP Firearms and Explosives Office (FEO). |
2013 | Manila | A large number of AK-47 firearms went missing from the PNP headquarters. |
Source: Julliane Love De Jesus, “2 Men Suspected of Stealing Police Guns Arrested,” INQUIRER.net, May 16, 2014, https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/602697/2-men-suspected-of-stealing-police-guns-arrested; “2 Nabbed for Stealing Guns from Cops, Guards,” Philippines Star, June 3, 2019, https://www.thefreelibrary.com/2+nabbed+for+stealing+guns+from+cops%2C+guards-a0587585542. Barbara Mae Dacanay, “Manila: Top Ranking Policemen Accused of Selling High-Powered Firearms,” Gulf News – Philippines, June 6, 2014, https://gulfnews.com/world/asia/philippines/manila-top-ranking-policemen-accused-of-selling-high-powered-firearms-1.1343733.
Disposal
To decrease the above-mentioned risks of accidental explosions and diversion, the Philippines has disposed of its ammunition since 2006.
Table 3. Number of pieces of ammunition disposed of in the Philippines (2017–21)
| Year | Number of ammunition |
2021 | 7,371 |
2019 | 57,291 |
2017 | >200 |
Sources: Priam Nepomuceno, “AFP Destroys over 1.5K Loose Firearms,” Philippine News Agency, October 24, 2019, https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1084067; Christopher Lloyd Caliwan, “PNP Destroys over 7K Dilapidated Firearms,” Philippine News Agency, April 26, 2021, https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1138002; “Philippines Destroys Pro-ISIS Militants' Confiscated Weapons,” News18, December 13, 2017, https://www.news18.com/photogallery/world/philippines-destroys-pro-isis-militants-confiscated-weapons-1603357.html.
Needs
To further enhance safe and secure ammunition management, the following needs have been identified for the Philippines:
- Development or refinement of standards and procedures on stockpile management; and
- Capacity development for the destruction of surplus stockpiles.
Source: Philippines, National Report on the Implementation of the Programme of Action on Small Arms and Light Weapons (PoA) and the International Tracing Instrument (ITI) (New York: Permanent Mission of the Philippines to the UN, 2022), https://unoda-poa.s3.amazonaws.com/reports/PHL-English-1231-SUBMITTED.pdf.
