President Duterte: 'Who is the US to forbid the Philippines from buying Russian weapons?'

According toRT,President Duterte expressed anger at a statement by US Assistant Secretary of Defense for Asian and Pacific Affairs Randall Schriver, who said the Philippines "should think carefully" about buying submarines and other weapons from Russia because it would affect the alliance between Washington and Manila.

Philippine President Duterte. Photo: Sputnik

"Why? Why are you stopping other countries? Why are you stopping us?… You warn us, who are you to warn us?" the Philippine president angrily said in a speech in Davao City, according toInquirer.net.

"He will meet me at a forum. He must explain why he is preventing us from taking the Russian submarine. He must tell us the reason and make it public," said the President of the Philippines.speak.

"Is this how you treat an ally? And you still want us to be by your side all the time?" Duterte continued, adding that he would love to ask the US President the same question "if I met him."RTQuoting Duterte.

He accused the US of trying to hinder the Philippines' defense modernization. However, the Philippine president also tried to reassure Washington by stating that the Philippines would not use weapons purchased from Russia against any country.

In addition, Duterte criticized the US for selling refurbished helicopters to Manila, some of which were broken. "While countries like Russia and China only donate used equipment to the Philippines and never ask us for even a paperclip."

According toRT,Moscow and Manila signed a military cooperation agreement in 2017, with Russia providing the Philippines with over 5,000 Kalashnikov assault rifles free of charge to help combat an insurgency. The Philippine government plans to purchase submarines, patrol boats, helicopters, and armored vehicles from Russia.

In August 2018, Philippine Foreign Minister Alan Peter Cayetano affirmed that US pressure would not deter them from purchasing weapons, calling it "a test of our resolve to pursue an independent foreign policy."

Recently, Washington has also been trying to persuade India and Türkiye to stop buying Russia's S-400 missile defense system, but both New Delhi and Ankara have refused.