PHILIPPINE National Police (PNP) chief Ronald Dela Rosa said on Monday, November 14, that the procurement of the 26,000 assault rifles from the United States (US) will continue after President Rodrigo Duterte has given them the approval.
“Actually I talked to him personally during our trip to Malaysia tungkol diyan. We reported to him that the processing of documents is going on smoothly according to Sig Sauer, wala silang nakitang harang doon, hindi po naharang,” he said.
“When I explained that to him, sabi niya ok you continue. Ipagpatuloy n’yo yan kasi wala naman palang hinarang... As far as PNP is concerned, we have the blessing from the President to continue with the transaction kung walang harang, kung hindi maharang,” Dela Rosa added.
Earlier, the US Senator Ben Cardin reportedly opposed the sale of 26,000 assault rifles to the PNP due to the alleged human rights violations in the country in relation to the administration’s war against illegal drugs.
Dela Rosa, however, said according to Sig Sauer Inc. the supplier of the firearms, the procurement process is ongoing.
Duterte, for his part, then ordered the cancellation of the procurement saying that the PNP can find other supplier from other countries.
"I would like to announce now that the 26,000 of M-16 that was maybe ordered or were ordered already, I am ordering its cancellation sa pulis. We will just have to look for another source that is cheaper and may be as durable and as good as those made from the place we're ordering them. We will not insist on buying expensive arms. We can always get them somewhere else. So kalimutan na na nila, sabihing it could be arriving on July of 2017," he said.
Dela Rosa said if the US State Department will finalize its decision to stop the sale, Duterte will "surely" issue anew order to cancel he process for good.
“Pero kung harangin nila, I’m sure the President will again tell me to stop it. Kasi para naman tayong kawawa na hinaharang tapos kinakausap, magmamakaawa e hindi po yan pupwede sa atin,” he said.
“Binabayaran namin ito, hindi naman namin ito hinihingi, binabayaran namin ito so we should get fair and equal treatment dahil this is business. Hindi naman ito grant, hindi naman ito aid na kailangan naming hingin. Business ito so kailangang pantay pantay tayo,” Dela Rosa added. (Sunnex)
