Philippines: Military can `live without" US aid

Defence Secretary Delfin Lorenzana said the Philippine military would instead go to Congress and ask for a bigger budget to fill in the shortfall.

"We can live without those aid," he told a forum with foreign correspondents in Manila. "Our Congress is giving us money now. I believe they will be giving us more if we have no source of funds."

Lorenzana said there was truth to the assessment by the country's foreign secretary that the US had "failed us" especially in efforts to boost the military's capabilities.

"We have been allies since 1951, all we got from that time until (1992) are all hand me downs, no new equipment," he said. "The Americans failed to beef up our capabilities to be at par with what is happening in the region."

Lorenzana said the Philippines received at least 30 million dollars in aid for the military every year.

On Thursday, Duterte said the Philippines would not beg for assistance from countries that have criticised his administration's war against illegal drugs, in which at least 1,523 people have been killed in police operations since July 1."I do not expect human rights (groups), I do not expect (US President Barack) Obama, I do not expect the EU to understand me," he said. "If you think it's high time for you to withdraw assistance, go ahead. We will not beg for it."

- DPA