Duterte cancels police rifle deal with US

Manila

PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte on Monday ordered the cancellation of Philippine's purchase of police rifles from the United States, after US senatorial aides said last month that Washington was halting the sale due to concerns about human rights violations.

"We will not insist on buying expensive arms from the United States. We can always get them somewhere else. I am ordering the police to cancel it. We don't need them," Mr Duterte said in a televised speech at a event attended by Muslim rebel leaders. "We will just have to look for another source that is cheaper and maybe as durable and as good as those made in the place we are ordering them." The relationship between the United States and the Philippines, a long-time ally, has been complicated lately by Mr Duterte's angry reaction to criticism from Washington of his violent b…