Firebrand Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte said Monday he would cancel an order for about 27,000 American-made assault rifles, in his latest display of defiance against the United States. The rifles were due to be provided to the Philippine police but Duterte said he would look for cheaper alternatives.
"The (rifles) that were ordered already, I am ordering the police to cancel it. We'll just have to look for another source that is cheaper and maybe as durable and as good," Duterte said. The status of the order had become cloudy over the past week after the Philippine media reported the US government would not deliver the weapons because of concerns about Duterte's war on drugs and other crime, which has claimed more than 4,100 lives in four months.
Duterte's spokesman said last week those reports were not accurate, and the US arms would be delivered as promised. But the president also made comments last week which appeared to indicate he believed the Americans had cancelled the planned delivery.