Trillanes Blames Duterte For Scrapped Rifles Deal With US

Trillanes insisted Duterte should be blamed is US stopped the assault rifles deal with PNP.

Senator Antonio Trillanes IV blamed President Rodrigo Duterte on the reported halted deal of assault rifles between the PNP and the United States.

Trillanes was one of the solons who gave reactions on the report that the US State Department will not pursue the deal of selling 26, 000 rifles with the Philippine National Police due to human rights violations concerns.

In a statement on Wednesday, Trillanes warned that the decision of US to stop the planned sale of 26,000 M4 rifles to the Philippines was just the start.

Senator Antonio Trillanes IV
Senator Antonio Trillanes IV

“That’s just the start. Things would probably get worse in the coming months as our countrymen get hit from different directions at different levels,” he said.

“But to be clear, contrary to President Duterte’s big lie, the US didn’t start this. He did, when he started killing his own people and didn’t want to be accountable for it,” the senator added.

Trillanes has been vocal against the President who made series of public tirades against the US, especially towards US President Barack Obama.

Duterte’s rhetoric was following the US for criticizing his government’s war on illegal drugs where more than 3,000 drug users and pushers were killed.

During Duterte’s visit in China, the President even announced the country’s “separation” from the US.

“In this venue, I announce my separation from the United States, both in military … not in the social … both in military [and] economics,” he said in a speech.

Upon arriving in the Philippines, the chief executive clarified his statement, saying separation does not mean cutting diplomatic ties with the US, but independence on the foreign policy.

PNP Chief Director General Ronald dela Rosa said on Wednesday that the process for the procurement of basic assault rifles from the US is still continuing.

“As per letter from Sig Sauer dated November 1, 2016, the export license for the delivery of the rifles is undergoing normal process in the US State Department. Wala pang official na notice confirming the alleged halting of the [sale of the] rifles,” Dela Rosa said at a press conference in Camp Crame.

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