Aside from comments made about his fashion sense, the firebrand Philippine leader seemed to make good on his pre-summit comments aimed at US President Barack Obama.
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Obama initially responded by calling Duterte a “colorful guy”, but then called off the meeting after the worldwide media reported heavily on the issue.
During a historic visit to Laos, President Obama took aim at Republican nominee Donald Trump and his qualifications for the Oval Office, just days after the billionaire offered his own criticisms of the president’s trip to Asia. He said foreign media translated it literally as “son of a whore” which he thought Obama took as a slight, specially the word whore.
Mr Obama’s remarks came at the end of a gruelling nine-day trip that took him to Laos and China following United States stops in Nevada, Hawaii and Midway Atoll in the Pacific Ocean. Other diplomats who heard the speech, however, felt he was referring to the United States, which colonized the Philippines after defeating its former ruler, Spain.
He added, “We will observe, and must insist, I repeat, I must insist, on the time-honored principles of sovereign equality, non-interference and the commitment to a peaceful settlement of disputes to best serve our people and protect the interests of our country”.
At the top of the list of unfinished business is the Trans-Pacific Partnership, a 12-nation free trade deal Mr Obama helped broker.
Trump has previously angered many in the military community with mocking remarks against U.S. Senator and former prisoner of war John McCain for being captured in Vietnam.
“We thank the Filipino government for its cooperation in relation to 700 Indonesian pilgrims who had arrived in Saudi Arabia through Philippine”, President Jokowi said, adding that the issue would be discussed in a bilateral meeting. “And what I indicated to him is that my team should be meeting with his and determine how we can move forward on a whole range of issues”, he stated.
Obama met with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in a bid to get further Indian backing for last year’s Paris climate treaty.
Speaking at a summit in Laos, Obama had urged Duterte to conduct his crime crackdown “the right way” with respect for the rule of law.
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The two did end up shaking hands during a brief interaction on the summit’s sidelines.
