MANILA, Philippines — President Rodrigo Duterte had a change of heart about not

buying defense equipment from the United States.

Speaking in a television interview in Davao City on Saturday, the President said he
would reconsider and buy certain types of US military hardware because of a “new
policy” of the United States and his fondness for US President Donald Trump.

“Well, America has been helpful. In the purchase of arms, we have a bad experience.
But they have a new policy now. We’re going to reconsider,” the President said.
Wider choice
The defense department on Sunday welcomed the President’s announcement, saying it
would give it a wider choice of weapons for the modernization program of the Armed
Forces of the Philippines.
“We will now be able to make our choices even better. We can proceed with
procurements on the pipeline. I think it’s good news,” said Arsenio Andolong,
spokesperson for the Department of National Defense.
The Philippine Air Force last year recommended the US-made Lockheed Martin
Sikorsky “Black Hawk” attack helicopter to replace the Canadian Bell 412 EPI, a $240-
million deal for which was scrapped after Ottawa raised concern that the choppers might
be used for military offensives rather than for transportation and humanitarian
assistance.
In January, the President said he would no longer buy weapons from the United States
because of US threats to impose sanctions on countries buying military equipment from
China and Russia.
Sale stopped
Earlier, he said he would buy weapons from the two countries, but was also considering
purchasing military equipment from South Korea and Israel.
His decision came after US legislators stopped the sale of assault rifles to the Philippine
National Police because the weapons might be used in killing suspects in his brutal war
on drugs.