Duterte was unfazed by the report that US will stop the rifles deal.
President Rodrigo Duterte did not worry of the decision of US State Department to stop the sale of 26,000 assault rifles to the Philippine National Police.
The PNP’s scheduled purchase of M4 rifles from the U.S. was stopped after top Democrat Senator Ben Cardin opposed on the deal to provide weapons to the Philippines. This is amid concerns about human rights violations caused by the bloody campaign against illegal drugs of the current administration.
According to the chief executive, he could buy guns from Russia.
He said he did not mind the stoppage of the sale, calling it another US bluff.
“Are they scaring me by not selling firearms to us?” he asked.
He noted that he was not scared because Filipinos could easily produce guns anyway.
“There are a lot of airguns (de bomba) here,” Duterte said in jest.
If the US will not pursue deal, he said Russia could provide what America wouldn’t give.
“Remember what the Russian diplomat said? Come to Russia. We have everything you need,” Duterte said. He recalled his meeting with Russian Ambassador Igor Khovaev shortly after the May elections where they agreed to enhance the bilateral relations between the Philippines and Russia.
“Our two countries have a great potential for cooperation in many many fields,” Khovaev told reporters after emerging from that meeting.
He said the relationship between the Philippines and Russia “is really friendly.”
“We have no disputes, no political contradictions or differences,” Khovaev added.
When he attended the ASEAN Summit in Laos, Duterte also met with Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev, whom he said pledged Russia’s help to the Philippines.
Earlier, PNP Chief Director General Ronald ‘Bato’ dela Rosa said the PNP will have to look for a new firearms supplier if the U.S. decides not to proceed with the deal, although heconsiders U.S. weapons as reliable and dependable.