Martin Tuason, third-generation head of firearms company Armscor; 51
Philippine arms manufacturer Armscor Global Defense Inc. announced the death of its president and chief executive officer, Martin Tuason, on Nov. 19. He was 51.
Tuason, a third-generation leader of the company, joined Armscor in his teenage years and rose through the ranks to become president and CEO in 2012.
A company statement issued on Saturday attributed to Tuason Armscor’s growth as a major player in the Philippine defense industry and its international expansion in both the commercial and defense sectors
Born May 23, 1974, Tuason was the son of Demetrio “Bolo” Tuason, former Armscor chair and president; and the grandson of Don Celso Tuason, who purchased the company in 1941.
Now the largest privately owned manufacturing company of firearms and ammunition in the region, Armscor has been a major supplier to the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the Philippine National Police.
For self-reliant PH defense
It currently exports to over 60 countries, including the United States, Australia, and those in Europe, South America, and Southeast Asia.
The company said Tuason was a staunch advocate and played a key role in the passage of the Self-Reliant Defense Posture Revitalization Act, which established a program to reduce the country’s reliance on foreign suppliers for its national defense buildup. It was signed into law by President Marcos in October 2024.
Tuason is also remembered for pushing Armscor’s community projects, such as the Bigay Awa at Tanglaw sa mga Anghel (Bata) Foundation in Marikina City, which looks after underprivileged girls.
The company said Deputy CEO Gina Marie Angangco will be assuming the company’s leadership with Tuason’s passing.
Armscor traces its roots to Squires Bingham & Co., founded in 1905, which shifted to firearms production under the Tuason family.
It currently operates its main 7-hectare manufacturing complex in Marikina City.
