Duterte orders AFP to buy equipment from Israel

JERUSALEM – President Duterte has ordered the military to buy defense equipment from Israel as he thanked the Jewish state for helping the Philippines in its campaign against terrorism.

Duterte claimed the United States, the Philippines’ traditional ally, spies on those who buy equipment from it.

“My orders to my military is that in terms of military equipment, particularly intelligence gathering, we only have one country to buy it from. That is my order specifically, Israel,” Duterte said during his meeting with Israel president Reuven Rivlin here yesterday.

“America is a good friend but you know, if he would sell you something, he would also be listening. And so with China and everybody else, Germany. So you can be very sure that they are also amply connected with you,” he added.

Previous reports claimed Duterte would push for an arms deal with Israel but officials have yet to confirm it.

Last month, US officials wrote a letter to Duterte affirming Washington’s support for the Philippines’ military modernization program and calling for greater cooperation on trade and defense.

The letter, signed by US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross and Defense Secretary James Mathis, also cited the track record of the US as a defense supplier and the capabilities of the equipment it supplied to the Philippines.

Duterte had said he was ready to meet with the American officials but challenged them to ensure that the delivery of equipment purchased would not be blocked by his critics.

Some American lawmakers had opposed the sale of firearms to the Philippine National Police because of allegations that Duterte was condoning human rights abuses.

Duterte thanked Israel for supporting the Philippines’ campaign against terrorism, including efforts to liberate Marawi, which was occupied by extremists last year. He said the Jewish state had provided intelligence equipment that strengthened the government forces’ drive against security threats.

“With the worldwide terrorism now, it behooves upon Israel and the Philippines to cooperate more than ever to defeat one enemy which I think could never disappear within the next 10 years,” Duterte said. “It’s (going to) be a long, long ride.”

Rivlin assured Duterte that Israel is willing to help the Philippines combat terrorism.

“We know that we have a very, very strong relationship now with you and your people. We are both trying to protect and to defend our people against fundamentalism, against terrorism, and we assure you that we can also cooperate,” he said.

“We are cooperating with every country that is trying to do the same to protect their own people and to carry the burden of security. And we do that with the idea and the values that we are holding, the values of democracy and human rights.”

Duterte said terrorists have started to bomb key municipalities in Mindanao, the site of a decades-old Islamic insurgency. The scenario makes it important for the Philippines to buy or borrow equipment, he added.

“You have extended us critical assistance during the Marawi siege against the extremists. And the equipment that you lent us helped us a lot to win the war and shortened the period of fighting,” he said.