Duterte slams Trudeau anew over cancelled helicopter deal

FILE: President Rodrigo Roa Duterte delivers his speech during the Lex Talionis Fraternitas, Inc. (LTFI) National Convention at the Marco Polo Hotel in Davao City on August 18, 2018. JOEY DALUMPINES/PRESIDENTIAL PHOTO

President Rodrigo Duterte slammed Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau anew for his country’s decision to review a $233-million helicopter deal with the Philippines amid concerns that the choppers will be used against Filipino citizens.

“Ang Canada, nagbigay tayo ng attack helicopters. Tapos i-deliver na, itong si Trudeau nagpapa-corny (Canada, gave helicopters for attacking. It was supposed to be delivered, but Trudeau was being corny). Pakunwari na peaceful ganun (He pretended to have been wanting peace), ‘We want peace.’ Anong want (What do you mean by want)… This is a troubled world. It has always been a troubled world ever since. Hindi naman nahinto ‘yan eh (It did not stop),” Duterte said in a speech during the League of Municipalities (LMP) Visayas Island Cluster conference on August 21, Tuesday.

“For God’s sake Mr. Trudeau, my own citizens are rebelling against us, killing my soldiers and policemen and civilians. And I cannot use the helicopter because they are citizens but they are out to overthrow my government. If you cannot understand, you should not be there in that mighty post of yours because you do not know the history of the world and geopolitics,” he added.

In February, the Philippine government signed the multimillion-dollar contract to buy 16 Bell 412 choppers from Canada.

However, a day after it was signed, Trudeau’s government ordered a review of the deal over human rights concerns.

Due to this, the Philippine leader ordered the cancellation of this contract.

“I want to tell the Armed Forces to cut the deal. Huwag na ituloy (Do not continue) and somehow we will look for another supplier. We respect the stand of Canada,” Duterte said in a press briefing in his hometown, Davao City, last February.

“Do not buy anymore from Canada or from the United States (US) because there is always a condition attached,” he added.

The President also previously called Canada ‘stupid’ over the botched chopper deal.

According to Canada’s Trade Minister Francois-Philippe Champagne, the said deal struck in 2012 agreed that the helicopters would be used for search-and-rescue missions.

However, Major-General Restituto Padilla, military chief of plans, in a Reuters report, noted that the helicopters could be of help for search-and-rescue operations for disaster relief operations, but said that “the helicopters will be used for the military’s internal security operations.”

The choppers were supposed to be brought to the Philippines early 2019.

The Philippine government is now looking at countries like South Korea, Russia, China, and Turkey as potential suppliers of the aircraft to replace Canada’s chopper deal.