MANILA – A firearms smuggling suspect, who is under police custody, claimed on Thursday that one of his syndicate’s customers was planning to kill President Rodrigo Duterte.

Wilford Palma said the customer, whom he did not identify, planned to order “low-end” gun parts. “Sabi niya sa akin, yun daw gagamitin sa assassination ni President Duterte [He told me it will be used in the assassination of President Duterte].”

Palma made the revelation as he was presented to the media by Director General Ronald dela Rosa, the national police chief. Palma and his boss were arrested in Bacolod City after local authorities were tipped off by US Homeland Security.

Dela Rosa said no details were immediately available on the person who was allegedly plotting to kill the President.

“Hindi pa namin talaga matumbok itong tao na ito pero most likely, hindi siguro siya yung gun for hire. Baka inutusan lang ito ng sindikato na bumili ng ganun for that purpose [We can’t positively identify this person yet but it is unlikely that he is the gun for hire. He could have been asked by a syndicate to buy the parts for that purpose],” he said.

Duterte, who is leading a bloody war against drugs, had previously acknowledged alleged threats to his life as well as to Dela Rosa, who is at the forefront of the campaign.

An estimated P4.5 million in gun parts were seized from Palma and his boss in Bacolod City, Dela Rosa said.