Trillanes: Duterte to blame for scrapped US arms deal

Senator Antonio Trillanes IV blamed President Rodrigo Duterte on Wednesday for the halting of the arms deal with the United States.

Trillanes warned that the US’ decision to stop the planned sale of 26,000 firearms to the Philippines was just the start.

“That’s just the start. Things would probably get worse in the coming months as our countrymen get hit from different directions at different levels,” he said in a statement.

“But to be clear, contrary to President Duterte’s big lie, the US didn’t start this. He did, when he started killing his own people and didn’t want to be accountable for it,”  added the senator, who has been vocal against the President.

Duterte had repeatedly lambasted the US for criticizing his government’s war on illegal drugs.

While in China, the President even announced the country’s “separation” from the US.

“In this venue, I announce my separation from the United States, both in military … not in the social … both in military [and] economics,”  he said in a speech.

READ: President Duterte’s remarks on cutting ties baffle US officials

But Duterte later clarified his statement, saying separation does not mean cutting diplomatic ties with the US.

Some senators, including administration allies, had already warned the President of the implications of cutting ties with the US. CDG

READ: Bato on nixed rifles deal with US: It’s not PNP’s loss

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