Russia has offered the Philippines access to an intelligence database to help it fight crime and train elite forces to protect President Rodrigo Duterte.

Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Philippine counterpart Rodrigo Duterte at a meeting on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Summit in Lima, Peru, November 19, 2016 (Photo: Reuters)

Nikolai Patrushev, secretary of Russian Security Council and President Vladimir Putin’s top security advisor, made the offer during a meeting between Russian and Philippine security officials in Davao city, the Philippines on February 16.

Philippines Defence Secretary Delfin Lorenzana confirmed the Russian invitation, adding that it could help track extreme Islamic gunmen and their financial transactions.

He said that security officials from both sides also discussed law enforcement cooperation, including anti-piracy and anti-narcotics exercises.

(Source: VNA)