Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, November 12) — The Philippines will buy arms and equipment from Russia to combat terrorism in the country.
“(The Russians are) particularly concerned about modern-day terrorism. They recognize it as a major problem and challenge. So they will give special attention to terrorism,” Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said on Friday, during the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Meeting in Da Nang, Vietnam.
President Rodrigo Duterte and Russian President Vladimir Putin held bilateral talks on the sidelines of the APEC meeting.
Roque said Duterte wants to buy arms to deal with the Philippine problem of extremism.
This comes after an arms deal with the U.S. fell through in November 2016.
RELATED: Duterte scraps gun deal with U.S.
“He (Duterte) says that he could not buy from the U.S. because our order for 23,000 firearms were stymied by U.S. legislators and that that purchase was eventually scrapped,” Roque said.
Duterte in November 2016 announced he was canceling the 26,000 assault rifle purchase by the Philippine National Police, and said the government could get the weapons from another source that would be “cheaper and maybe as durable and as good.”
Duterte had previously expressed his gratitude for Russia’s help in the Marawi conflict.
Apart from arms sales, Roque said the country eyes to sign military and technical agreements with Russia, including possible military training.
The issue of trade was also taken up.
“Now, of course the Russians would like to trade with the Philippines. They have corporations that would like to do business in the field of energy particularly,” said Roque.
He added there are Russian companies involved in nuclear energy that would like to do business in the Philippines.
On transport, he said Russia is interested in building a light metro rail for Baguio and La Trinidad.
Roque said other areas of discussion between the Philippines and Russia included education and tourism.
CNN Philippines Digital Producers Lara Tan and Eimor Santos contributed to this report.
