China awarded 3,000 assault rifles to the Philippines on Thursday as a gesture of “friendly and cooperative relations”, marking the second shipment of rifles this year as the two countries celebrated improved relations. Philippines Defence Secretary Delfin Lorenzana said the Chinese weapons were supposed to go to the military, but Duterte felt the police needed them more. The police force is notorious for its brutal crackdown on illegal drug trade. The Human Rights Watch has reported that at least 7,000 Filipinos had been killed by the police and unidentified gunmen in the first year of Duterte’s time in office.