Alwaght- Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte has hinted that the US might assassinate him following his decision to order weapons form China and Russia.
The Philippines has been seeking modern weapons and small arms to step up combat against ISIS-linked extremists, ever since Duterte assumed office in June 2016. However, Washington’s refusal to sell assault rifles, over concerns about the country’s alleged abuse of human rights record amid the ongoing war on drugs, has forced Duterte to seek new suppliers. The Philippines has long depended on the US for weapons, turned to China and Russia to fill the gap.
“The fact is, the Americans really do not honor their word,” Rodrigo Duterte said on Thursday, explaining his decision to look for alternative partners. Beijing and Moscow answered the call, even agreeing to provide some of the weapons for free, the Philippines leader told a group of farmers and fishermen gathered at a presidential palace reception.
“So I went to China... to ask [Chinese President Xi Jinping] to help us: ‘I need arms,’” Duterte said during his long speech. “Xi Jinping said, ‘No problem. Do not pay me, it's all yours.’"
“So I went to Russia... ‘I came here to ask for your help! It's okay, I'll give it to you, free,’” Duterte paraphrased President Vladimir Putin’s reported response during their meeting last year.
“At least, if ever my airplane explodes, or if some roadside bomb explodes, maybe you can ask the CIA,” Duterte noted in a mixture of Filipino and English, not ruling out that some in the US might find his arguments unconvincing. “That’s my experience. I’m sharing it with you.”
