Doubts about smoking gun as Duterte lauds China role in rebel killing

MANILA/MARAWI CITY, Philippines (Reuters) - Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte was eager to credit new ally Beijing in the death of militant leader Isnilon Hapilon, saying it was a Chinese rifle that fired the bullet that finished off Islamic State's "emir" in Southeast Asia. The smoking gun that took out the region's most feared insurgent on Monday was one of the 100 sniper rifles donated by China, Duterte said, although the ranger unit conducting the operation said the shot was fired from a heavier weapon mounted on an armored vehicle. Duterte is a huge fan of the Chinese rifles and took a pot-shot himself in the direction of militants in Marawi City recently.
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