Duterte to US: Who are you to warn PHL on buying Russian subs?

President Rodrigo Duterte on Friday slammed the United States for warning the Philippines against buying submarines from Russia.

Duterte challenged the US to state in public why they are opposing the acquisition despite the fact that other Southeast Asian countries like Indonesia and Malaysia, both US allies, have submarine fleets. 

"We have been warned not to buy submarines from Russia kaya ang sagot ko sa kanila ganito: You meet me in a forum and I will invite everybody interested. You state your case why you are against my country acquiring submarines. Give me the reason why and make it public," the President said in a speech in Davao City.

"You want us to remain backwards."

He said the submarines will not be used against the US.

"Neither can we use [it] against China or anybody else because we are under armed," Duterte said, in an apparent admission of the country's reputation as one of Asia's weakest militaries.

Duterte gave the statement a day after Randall Schriver, US assistant secretary of defense for Asian and Pacific security affairs, urged the Philippine government to "think carefully" about the planned purchase of Russian hardware.

Schriver pointed to both tactical and political problems if the Philippines pushed through with buying military equipment from Russia.

"Is that the way how you treat an ally and you want us to stay with you for all times?" Duterte said. "Who are you to warn us?"

The President claimed American-made submarines will only "implode" similar to the "helicopters you sold us."

"What do I say by implode? Doon manggaling ang putok sa loob," he said. "Did you investigate that two or three of them [helicopters] crashed already? The latest was in Lipa. Kaka-take off lang, bumagsak, pumutok. Galing sa inyo ‘yun. Refurbished NATO [North Atlantic Treaty Organization] helicopter."

Duterte then repeated his accusation that the US Central Intelligence Agency wanted him dead.

“Go ahead. Be my guest. After all, this country will remain the way it is. Kaya pag pumutok ang helicopter ko dyan, sila yan,” he said.

Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana said in June that the government was considering acquiring submarines from South Korea or Russia as part of the military's modernization program.

The Defense chief said the acquisition of submarines is in line with the Third Horizon of the Revised Armed Forces of the Philippines Modernization Program under Republic Act 10349, which was initiated under Duterte's predecessor Benigno Aquino III.

Lorenzana clarified on Friday that it will consider any and all offers, and not just from South Korea and Russia, when it comes to the purchase of submarines for the Philippine Navy. —NB/BAP, GMA News