However, during the ASEAN dinner, the two leaders were seen having a brief chat to clear the air, according to Manila, while Washington termed it as an exchange of formal pleasantries.
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“They met at the holding room and they were the last people to leave the holding room”.
Piracy is a major concern for leaders of the region, who fear a Somalia-like rise in maritime insecurity in southeast Asia.
Obama initially responded by calling Duterte a “colorful guy”, but then called off the meeting after the worldwide media reported heavily on the issue.
Sep. 10: Filipino President Rodrigo Duterte emphasised on Saturday that Philippines will pursue an independent foreign policy “without any interference” from any country. Do not just throw away questions and statements.
“I said that, but not in relation to Obama, I’m not fighting with America”.
“He said that Obama responded: “‘My men will talk to you, ‘ and he replied ‘OK'”. “Son of a bitch, I will swear at you in that forum”, he said.
Retno said the EAS managed to produce three outcome documents: the Vientiane Declaration on Promoting Infrastructure Development in East Asia; the EAS Non-Proliferation Statement; and the EAS Declaration on Strengthening Responses to Migrants in Crisis and Trafficking in Persons.
He insisted his remarks were not directed at Obama but at the US State Department, which has raised concerns over potential human rights violations in Duterte’s anti-crime campaign which has left nearly 3,000 dead in just over two months.
Last month as well, Duterte sparked a diplomatic row with Washington when he called Philip Goldberg, the US ambassador to the country, a “gay son of a whore”. Over 2,000 people have been killed in a crackdown on suspected drug dealers and users since Duterte assumed office in June.
United States officials had said Duterte’s outbursts won’t affect relations between Manila and Washington, which a U.S. government spokesman described as “rock solid”.
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Mr Duterte caused outrage earlier in the week for saying the slur against the US President after Mr Obama pledged to ask about alleged extrajudicial killings by Filipino government forces in their war on drugs.
