(Eagle News) — President Rodrigo Duterte on Friday (January 6) toured a Russian Navy ship docked in a port in Manila and personally welcomed the Russian naval officers as friends, saying that Manila is open to them if they need anything such as the replenishment of their supplies.
“To the friendship of Russia and the Philippines. We welcome our Russian friends. Anytime you want to dock here for anything, for play, for replenish supplies, or maybe (as) our ally to protect us,” said Duterte while shaking the hands of Rear Admiral Eduard Mikhailov, head of the Flotilla of the Russian Navy Pacific Fleet.
The President was given arrival honors and was toured in the anti-submarine ship Admiral Tributs a day after it was opened to the public as part of the Russian Navy’s goodwill visit to the Philippines.
Russia’s ambassador to the Philippines, His Excellency Igor Anatolyevich Khovaev, greeted President Duterte upon his arrival in the ship.
Duterte was with Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea, Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana, National Security Hermogenes Esperon, Foreign Secretary Perfecto Yasay Jr., and other officials of the Armed Forces of the Philippines.
/ AFP PHOTO / POOL / Noel CELIS
The President was shown the various sophisticated weapons and features inside the naval ship, as well as some of the Russian navy men with their high-powered firearms.
Mr. Duterte also signed the guestbook inside Admiral Tributs as part of the protocol of his visit.
The ship is more than 20 years in the Russian Navy’s service, and is part of the Udaloy-class-anti-submarine destroyer.
It is 163 meters long and is armed with anti-submarine missiles, two AK-360 close-in weapon system, and RBU anti-submarine rocket system.
There are also sophisticated sensor and radar equipment inside the ship.
Earlier, Russian Ambassador Khovaev said that his country is ready to supply brand new weapons to the Philippines – from firearms, airplanes, and even submarines – to strengthen the country’s security and defense capabilities, including its armed forces.
But this still would all depend on the Philippines on what the Philippines would need and buy from the Russians.
“We never use military cooperation as a kind of political leverage on our partners. The military cooperation with Russia has no political conditionality. That’s the best possible assurance. And in the history of military ties of Russia with all our partners around the world, there has never been, never I’m saying again never been, any kind of interference, any kind of link between military cooperation and political pressure. That’s not possible at all,” Ambassador Khovaev said.
President Duterte has earlier said that he is open to forging a new alliance with Russia, and included in this is the joint maritime exercises between the two countries.
The President enjoyed his visit in the Admiral Tributs. He even posed, together with the other Russian Naval officers, who all gamely did the “Duterte fist” pose along with him, symbolic of the stronger ties forged between the two nations.
Moscow said it is already preparing for President Duterte’s visit in Russia.
On Saturday, January 7, the final exercises of the Russian Navy and the Philippine Navy will take place in Manila Bay, serving as the culminating activity of the five-day goodwill visit. (with a report from Jerold Tagbo, Eagle News Service)
