Duterte ordered the cancellation of the procurement of 26, 000 rifles from US.
Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte has ordered the Philippine National Police not to pursue the procurement of assault rifles from the United States.
The cancellation of the procurement of 26,000 M4 rifles from the US was announced by the president on Monday.
This comes weeks the reports of Reuters that the US State Department will not continue the deal with the PNP due to human rights concerns.
Sources last week said that US Senator Ben Cardin opposed the sale of the firearms because of concerns about human rights violations in connection with the war on illegal drugs.
In a speech delivered after signing the Executive Order reconstitution and expanding the Bangsamoro Transition Commission on Monday, Duterte said the Philippines will just have to find for another source of the firearms.
“I am ordering its cancellation. We will just have to look for another source that is cheaper and may be as durable. We will not insist on buying expensive arms,” he said.
He once again insisted that he would not buy anything that would just spread violence among Filipinos and harm fellow Filipinos.
“I am ordering the police to cancel it,” Duterte added.
Since he took office on June 30, the US State Department and President Barack Obama have earlier expressed concern over the series of drug-related killings under the Duterte administration.
This triggered the president to release series of public tirades against the US, especially to Obama.
Based on the records, more than 3, 000 drug users and pushers have already died within more than four months.
Aside from Obama, US Senator Patrick Leahy also previously warned that assistance to the Philippines may be stopped if the drug-related killings continue to increase.
The senator is the author of Leahy Law, which makes sure that US is not complicit in human rights violations committed by countries that receive aid from them.
