MANILA, Philippines — The US on Thursday turned over weapons worth P48.5 million to the Armed Forces of the Philippines at Clark Air Base.
The delivery was funded by US grant assistance and is intended to enhance the AFP’s counterterrorism capabilities and readiness, the US Embassy in Manila said in a statement.
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Weapons turned over by officials of the Joint United States Military Assistance Group - Philippines include 14 M2A1 .50-caliber heavy machine guns, seven M240B machine guns, and thousands of rounds of ammunition.
“As the United States and Philippines celebrate 75 years of diplomatic relations today, we welcome this key equipment transfer, which will support the continued readiness of the Armed Forces of the Philippines,” Col. Stephen Ma, JUSMAG-P chief and senior defense official to the Philippines, is quoted as saying.
This year marks 70 years since the signing of the Mutual Defense Treaty that formalized the US-Philippines alliance and their close security cooperation.
President Rodrigo Duterte has thrice suspended the abrogation of the Visiting Forces Agreement which is meant to enhance the MDT.
READ: Timeline: Constant US troop presence amid Duterte's changing moods
The Philippines, a longtime ally and former colony of the US, continues to be the largest recipient of American military assistance in the Indo-Pacific region.
Since 2015, Washington has provided more than P48.6 billion in security assistance to Manila, its embassy said.