Philippines gets US weapons to fight terror

Manila: The United States on Monday gave the Philippines hundreds of machine guns, pistols and grenade launchers, which a local commander said would be used against Islamist militants battling troops in a southern city.

The weapons, including machine guns capable of firing thousands of rounds a minute, were handed over at a ceremony in Manila that highlighted a decade-old American counter-terrorism assistance programme to the Philippines worth about $150 million.

“This equipment will enhance the (Philippines Marines’) counterterrorism capabilities, and help protect (troops) actively engaged in counterterrorism operations in the southern Philippines,” a US Embassy statement said.