Russia has offered the Philippines help in their war against terror and will personally train President Duterte’s bodyguards.

(WASHINGTON, DC) Russia’s top security official on Thursday offered the Philippines access to an intelligence database to help it fight crime and militancy, and training for the elite forces assigned to protect President Rodrigo Duterte.

Nikolai Patrushev, the secretary of Russia’s Security Council and Vladimir Putin’s top security adviser, made the offer during a meeting between Russian and Philippine security officials in Davao, where he was visiting Duterte at his home city.

Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana said that Russia had invited the Philippines to join a database-sharing system to help combat trans-national crime and terrorism, which he said could help track Islamist militants and their financial transactions.

In an interview with Reuters last week, Lorenzana said there were “very strong” links between Islamic State and militants in the Philippines.

Patrushev’s trip underlines Russia’s intent to capitalize on a radical recalibration of foreign policy under Duterte, who harbors resentment of the Philippines’ deep-rooted ties to the United States.

Russia provided similar protective services to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in 2015. The Mirror reported that Moscow sent a detachment of Spetsnaz special forces to bolster protection and train the embattled leaders bodyguards.

TRUNEWS co-host Doc Burkhart, who has spent time as a missionary in the Philippines, said this latest move gives the appearance that “Russia is creating their own global intelligence network to counter the Deep State.”

Reuters copy, TRUNEWS analysis