Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte
President Rodrigo Duterte lashed out Friday at the United States after one of its top defense officials cautioned the Philippines against buying military equipment from Russia.
He slammed Washington for blocking the Philippine military’s modernization and only giving Manila used and refurbished military equipment, including rusted choppers from the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) that crashed and killed Filipino soldiers.
“Is that the way you treat an ally? And you want us to stay with you for all time?" said Duterte in a speech at an event in Davao City as quoted by local media.
"Who are you to warn us?”
Duterte dared U.S. officials to meet him at a forum and explain Washington’s opposition to the Philippines’ acquisition of Russian submarines, claiming it did not stop its other allies in Southeast Asia such as Indonesia and Malaysia.
His remarks came a day after U.S. Assistant Secretary of Defense for Asian and Pacific Security Affairs Randall Schriver, who is in Manila to meet the country’s top defense and military officials, had warned the government against procuring military hardware from Russia, saying it was “not a helpful thing to do” in the U.S.-Philippines alliance.
Duterte loosened the Philippines' longstanding alliance with Washington following former President Barack Obama’s criticism of his war on drugs, instead seeking closer diplomatic and economic ties with Russia and China.
Meanwhile, in an unexpected move, Duterte again lashed out against China following its foreign ministry's statement reacting to his rant earlier this week, in which he told Beijing to temper its behavior in the South China Sea after China repelled foreign aircraft and ships it said had deliberately gotten close to its artificial islands there.
Duterte asserted the Philippines' claims on the group of islands in the disputed waters but reiterated that Manila is Beijing’s friend.
"I told you we are not prepared to go to war with you, so why do you have to say those nasty words?" he said.
He again emphasized that China cannot just create artificial islands in the disputed waters and claim sovereignty over the sea.
China’s Foreign Ministry said Thursday that while it respects other countries' freedom of navigation in the South China Sea, it asserted its right to call out foreign aircraft getting near its islands.
Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte could step down if the son of former dictator Ferdinand Marcos succeeds in overturning his 2016 vice presidential election defeat, Duterte's spokesman said on Thursday.Duterte's single term ends in June 2022 and he has spoken often recently about quitting before that. At two separate events on Tuesday he said he was "ready to go", expressing frustration about his failure to tackle illicit drugs and corruption in government.However, he said was reluctant to do that now because a constitutional succession would mean handing power to Vice President Leni Robredo, whom he said was not up to the job.Robredo, who leads the opposition party, was not Duterte's choice for vice president and was elected separately having narrowly defeated Ferdinand Marcos Jr, the son and namesake of the ousted former ruler.China rebuffs Philippines president's South China Seas rebukeMarcos, better known as "Bongbong", has challenged the result alleging fraud.The Supreme Court has ordered a recount, a complex process that got underway in April and could take several years.Robredo says she won fairly.Duterte's spokesman, Harry Roque, said the president had a "real, genuine wish to step down" if a qualified leader could replace him. Marcos was among those he would prefer, Roque said."If there's development and he will win the protest and he becomes the vice president, yes, he will make true his word," Roque told a regular news briefing.In a statement, Marcos expressed his gratitude to Duterte for showing faith in him, but said the president should finish his term."I urge him not to leave the presidency as our people still need him for the betterment of our lives and our country," Marcos said. 
Philippines' Duterte could resign if Marcos Jr becomes VP
China rebuffed Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte's call for Beijing to rethink its conduct in the South China Sea on Thursday, saying China had the right to react to foreign ships or aircraft that get close to its islands.Duterte said China has no right to repel foreign aircraft and boats passing by its artificial islands in the disputed waterway, and that he hoped China would "temper" its behaviour and stop restricting movements.In a statement sent to Reuters, China's Foreign Ministry said the Spratly Islands are China's inherent territory and that China respects the right to freedom of navigation and overflight that all countries enjoy in the South China Sea under international law."But China has a right to take necessary steps to respond to foreign aircraft and ships that deliberately get close to or make incursions into the air and waters near China's relevant islands, and provocative actions that threaten the security of Chinese personnel stationed there," it said."China urges the relevant party to meet China halfway, and jointly protect the present good situation that has not come easily in the South China Sea," the ministry added, without elaborating.China, Taiwan, the Philippines, Malaysia, Vietnam and Brunei have competing claims to the Spratly archipelago, where China has rapidly turned reefs into artificial islands that appear to be military installations, from which its personnel routinely instruct foreign vessels to leave.Duterte has a policy of engagement with Beijing, in the hope of securing billions of dollars in grants, loans and investments, and has rejected criticism that he is acquiescing to Chinese pressure or surrendering Philippines sovereignty.However, instead of blaming China for building and militarising islands in disputed waters, he has said the United States was at fault for not blocking the construction when it started.China has been angered by the United States in particular sending military ships and aircraft close to Chinese-occupied islands in the South China Sea in the name of freedom of navigation, saying the operations are highly provocative and potentially dangerous.China doesn’t own airspace over disputed sea: DuterteDuterte fires military officials for alleged corruptionPhilippines' Duterte sacks 20 for graft in military medical buys
China rebuffs Philippines president's South China Seas rebuke
At least 20 top military officials of the Armed Forces of the Philippines Medical Center have been fired by President Rodrigo Duterte over corruption allegations, presidential spokesperson Harry Roque confirmed Monday.Roque said Duterte has ordered relief and court martial proceedings against the military brass due to anomalous purchases and fraudulent transactions which include ghost purchasing, splitting of contracts to circumvent mandatory bidding processes and creating fictitious suppliers.Roque claimed the “conspiracy” and “institutional corruption” at the country’s main military hospital had been taking place before the Duterte administration.He revealed that Duterte was “aggravated” and “ballistic” because he had recently ordered the release of an additional 50 million pesos ($935,038) to the hospital to ensure it would have sufficient funds for the medical requirements of all members of the Armed Forces of the Philippines.In a separate news conference, Military Chief of Staff Carlito Galvez Jr. vowed to fix the “systemic corruption” at the institution in one month.“We need to cleanse the institution. I have no tolerance for corruption,” Galvez said.He added that an investigation by the Intelligence Service of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (ISAFP) of the hospital’s transactions was triggered by a complaint of irregular transactions and ghost deliveries received from the Office of the President last May.He revealed that the ISAFP found 17 questionable transactions involving around 17 million pesos ($317,855) but noted that he has ordered the investigating unit to probe more contracts that would bring the total money involved to 200 million pesos ($3.74 million).Aside from the probe to be conducted by the deputy ombudsman for the military and other law enforcement offices, the sacked military officials will undergo court martial proceedings where they will be given the opportunity to be heard.Philippines' Duterte sacks 20 for graft in military medical buysPhilippines's Moro group thanks Turkey for peace efforts
Duterte fires military officials for alleged corruption
Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte has fired 20 people, including colonels and a general, over accusations of fraud and graft in purchases of military medical supplies, his spokesman said on Monday, the latest step in a sweeping battle on graft.Reining in government corruption was a key election plank for Duterte, who has been a big supporter of the security forces, promising equipment and boosting their budget and salaries to help tackle crime, drugs and armed rebellions.Those sacked were accused of involvement in 17 cases of bogus purchases of supplies, drugs and equipment at inflated prices, the spokesman, Harry Roque, told reporters.Civilians and military officials were among those sacked. The servicemen faced a court martial, he added.Inside the Bangladesh prime minister's war on drugsDuterte was "personally aggravated and angered", having recently ordered that 50 million pesos ($936,908) be made available to the main military hospital where the offences took place, Roque said.Military chief Carlito Galvez said he was angered to learn that men in uniform had profited by inflating the prices of prosthetics bought for soldiers who had lost limbs in battle.In his campaign against corruption, Duterte has sacked dozens of officials, including many of his own appointees. 
Philippines' Duterte sacks 20 for graft in military medical buys