The Floro MK-9[b] is a submachine gun designed and formerly manufactured by Floro International Corporation (FIC). The weapon is marketed to local security forces as a low-cost alternative to imported submachine guns.
According to Victorino Floro, who was the chairman of FIC in 1996, Gregory Floro approached the Philippine Army in March 1996 for testing and evaluating FIC-made small arms as part of the Self-Reliance Defense Posture (SRDP) program.[3]
In a memo from the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) released on July 5, 2018, the MK-9 was mentioned as being documented for potential recovery from ex-rebels and militiamen if and when they were turned in for firearms amenesty.[4]
Corruption case
The Floro MK-9 was reportedly sold to the Armed Forces of the Philippines in 1997 under a P1,500,000.00 contract where 75 MK-9s were found to be allegedly defective according to a report filed from the Sandiganbayan under the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act on September 27, 2004.[5] The court cleared Major Jose L. Barao Jr., Captain Henry G. Valeroso, and Victorino R. Floro, then FIC president, on April 27, 2018.[5][6] Colonel Artemio C. Cacal was cleared of graft after he passed away.[6]
The Sandiganbayan ruled that prosecutors did not prove the presence of undue injuries from the contract and providing Victorino with benefits.[6]
Design
The MK-9 series is a blowback-operated weapon,[7] made from steel,[8] chambered for the 9×19mm Parabellum cartridge. A black phospate reflective finish is used to coat the submachine gun, although its pistol grip is moulded with a black matt-polymer finish.[8] FIC discontinued plans to use a wooden buttstock for the MK-9.[8]
The MK-9 fires from a closed bolt with a selector switch allowing semi-automatic or full-automatic fire.[7] The upper receiver is a steel tube and the barrel is held in place by the perforated barrel jacket. A suppressor can be used when needed.[1]
The lower receiver and magazine housing consists of sheet metal. The extended magazine well has a plastic hand guard and doubles as a forward grip. It has the Uzi submachine gun-type magazine interface and uses 25 or 30-round Uzi magazines.[1][7] The MK-9 uses the firing mechanism of the M16.[7]
The cocking handle is on the left side of the upper receiver and incorporated with a dust cover.[7] The front sights are fixed and the rear sights have an adjustment knob for windage.[2] The upper receiver has a Picatinny rail installed, allowing telescopic and red dot sights to be used.[2]
Variants
MK-9
Basic version with collapsible stock.
MP-9
The MP-9 is a shortened version with a skeletal folding stock and no barrel jacket.[2] It was supposedly known as the Mk-19.[7]
↑"Implementing Guidelines and Procedures for the Disposition of Firearms, Explosives and Ammunition (FEA) of the former rebels (FR) and militia ng bayan (MB)" (Document). Department of the Interior and Local Government. 5 July 2018. p.7.
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