The United States donated new military equipment to the Philippine Marines Unit in the Philippines.
This is despite the series of public tirades of Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte against US President Barack Obama and pushing their troops to leave the country.
Recently, the representatives from the US Embassy in the Philippines’ Joint U.S. Military Assistance Group (JUSMAG) delivered 24 pallets of counterterrorism gear to the Philippine Marine Special Operations Group (MARSOG) at Clark Air Base in Pampanga.
Among the items they have donated are equipment which can be used in counterterrorism and fast boat operations such as tactical Harris radios, ballistic helmets, and diving gear.
The military equipment from the US was transferred to Manila on October 8. This is under a US grant program aimed at assisting security forces conducting counterterrorism operations, including the Philippines.
The United States Embassy in Manila said equipment will help enhance the communications, situational awareness and protection of Philippine security forces actively engaged in counterterrorism operations in Mindanao.
“This will help enhance the communications, situational awareness and protection of Philippine security forces actively engaged in counterterrorism operations in the southern Philippines,” the embassy said.
As a part of the US grant program, the Philippine Marines will also receive radio training from the US Forces.
Aside from MARSOG, the Philippine Coast Guard and the Philippine National Police-Special Action Force (PNP-SAF) also received six pallets of the new communications equipment from the US government.
Recently, the Philippines and the United States launched war games participated by the troops of the Armed Forces of the Philippines and Americans, against the backdrop of the unusual threat of Duterte of American forces being ejected from the Philippines.
Duterte has sustained a verbal assault on the United States since he took office on June 30 in response to criticism of his deadly war on crime where thousands of drug users and pushers have already died.
He announced his decision to end joint drills with the United States in a bid to appease China amid hopes to develop closer trade ties with Beijing, while the tension in the South China Sea is continuing.