The Chinese government is set to turn over thousands of rifles to the Philippines on Thursday.

“They will donate 3,000 pieces of M4 rifles, three million rounds of assorted ammunition and 30 sniper scopes,” Col. Edgard Arevalo, Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Public Affairs Chief told reporters in Camp Aguinaldo Wednesday.

He said the donations will be received by Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana and AFP Chief of Staff Gen. Eduardo Ano in a ceremony at the general headquarters of the Armed Forces of the Philippines in Quezon City.

Arsenio Andolong, Department of National Defense (DND) Public Affairs Service Chief, said the “military assistance gratis given by the Ministry of National Defense of the People’s Republic of China” will be handed by Chinese Ambassador to the Philippines Zhao Jianhua during the ceremony.

Arevalo also emphasized the importance of the additional firearms for the Armed Forces of the Philippines.

“Well definitely it will be a big help on our ongoing operation because it will boost our firepower, not only in Marawi but in other areas of the country where we have undergoing operations,” he said.

Last June, the Chinese government also turned over 3,000 M4-type assault rifles with five million rounds of ammunition and 90 sniper rifles with 800,000 rounds of ammunition to the Philippines in a ceremony in Clark Air Base in Pampanga. Robina Asido/DMS