Defense chief: PHL may buy equipment from China's arms manufacturer

Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana announced that the Philippines will officially signify its intent to purchase equipment from China's state-owned arms exporter.

"I was present during the Poly [Technologies] call on the President and what we discussed was, we will be signing tomorrow a document on intent, intent only," Lorenzana said in a press conference in China on Sunday night.

Lorenzana said that during the Poly Technologies' call on President Rodrigo Duterte, who is in China for the Belt and Road forum, the arms manufacturer offered a wide array of defense equipment.

Poly Technologies is part of the China government's Poly Group of Companies.

Lorenzana said after their visit in China, the government will send team from the Philippines to check the defense equipment being offered by the Poly Technologies.

He said if the arms deal pushes through with Poly Technologies, the Philippines will use the US$500-million soft loan being offered by the Chinese government.

"We are not saying that we will buy from them or we will not buy from them but if we need anything from the Chinese defense industry then we're going to procure using the loan that they are going to offer to us," Lorenzana said.

The Defense chief announced in December last year that China has made available a US$500-million soft loan for the Philippines.

He had also said that the Philippines was supposed to receive a one-time US$14-million grant from China for small arms and fast boats.

The one-time grant was intended to aid the Duterte administration in its controversial war on drugs.

During the press conference, Lorenzana said the Philippines will use the US$14-million grant to purchase four fast boats, 200 sniper rifles and hundreds of rocket-propellege grenade launchers with ammunition. —ALG, GMA News