Russia ready to put up weapons production hub in PHL, envoy says

Russia is looking into the manufacture hub for light firearms in the Philippines, its envoy said Tuesday, as Moscow seeks increased defense and security cooperation with America’s oldest Asian ally.

Igor Khovaev, Russian ambassador to the Philippines, said the proposed deal is subject to bilateral consultations and that “both sides are exploring specific opportunities.”

“We are ready to organize a joint production of sophisticated arms and small weapons here in the Philippines. You Filipinos will produce Russian arms and weapons. They will be Philippine products with Russian technology,” Khovaev told a press briefing.

“We already started working on that.”

If the deal pushes through, Khovaev said the Philippines will be an exporter of advanced small arms and light weapons for the first time in its history.

Khovaev, however, did not identify the specific types of firearms that Russia wants to be produced in the country.

“I can only express my hope that it can be done as soon as possible. Both sides are committed to open new horizons of our defense cooperation and one of these horizons is the joint production, joint manufacturing of arms and weapons on Philippine soil,” he said.

As President Rodrigo Duterte vowed to step back on military engagements with the United States, its long-term defense treaty ally, he announced that he will pursue an independent Foreign Policy and bolster ties with American rivals China and Russia.

Since assuming the presidency in 2016, Duterte has visited China five times and twice in Russia. Duterte has never visited the US.

Manila is reportedly considering the purchase of at least 16 MI-171 helicopters from Russia – a plan reportedly frowned upon by Washington, according to diplomatic sources.

Under current US sanctions against Russia, third countries, including American allies, could face sanctions if they engage in any deals with Russian defense contractors.

The Russian envoy brushed aside US threats, saying the Philippines and Russia are independent sovereign nations and are not bound by any restrictions from Washington.

“No third country has the right to interfere in our defense cooperation,” Khovaev said. “Our defense cooperation is not against anyone.”

Without naming any country, Khovaev said Manila’s traditional partners “must respect the choice of Russia and the Philippines.”

“Your traditional partners have no right to be jealous,” he said, adding that Russia has so much to offer in terms of strengthening the Philippines’ defense capability.

Although no deal was signed during Duterte’s visit to Russia early this month, Philippine and Russian officials, Khovaev said, are still discussing the purchase of helicopters and are “actively working on that.”

Apart from aircraft, Khovaeb said Russia is ready to supply its sophisticated technologies to help the Philippines develop its own defense industry.

“We want to build a long-term strategic cooperation. We want to be a reliable partner for many, many years.”

Khovaev said Russia produces “the best, the most reliable and efficient” weapons and aircraft and unlike other countries, “does not supply second hand arms and weapons.”

“Only the advanced ones,” he said, noting such cooperation comes “with no political conditionality.”

In 2016, the US halted the sale of rifles for the Philippine national police due to concerns on human rights violations following its involvement on Duterte’s violent crackdown on illegal drugs.

Two years after, Canada suspended a signed deal that would allow the Philippines to purchase 16 helicopters also due to human rights concerns. The $233-million agreement was eventually scrapped by Duterte. 

“Russia will never teach anyone human rights or something like that and we’ll never use our defense cooperation as a pretext to interfere to meddle into the domestic affairs of states. It’s not possible at all,” Khovaev said. —NB, GMA News