Mr Duterte and Mr Obama have traded blows in a bruising diplomatic bust-up this week, culminating in a stand-off at an Asian summit over the crackdown in the Philippines that has left 3,000 dead.
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It seems like all is well with President Rodrigo Duterte and United States President Barack Obama.
But before the high-level meeting of the leaders from ASEAN and their counterparts from ASEAN dialogue partners, controversy hounded Duterte for making “strong remarks” against US President Barack Obama in connection with comments made by US officials on drug-related extrajudicial killings in the Philippines. Philippine officials this week handed out a 38-page pamphlet at the summit that praised Duterte’s drug campaign.
Duterte arrived in Jakarta on Thursday, September 8, 2016 after attending the 28th ASEAN Summit held in Vientiane, Laos.
Until Monday reports surfaced that President Duterte had apparently called the US President a “Son of a Bitch”, the two presidents were said to be scheduled to meet in Laos, but that meeting had been cancelled by Obama’s party.
Obama on Thursday confirmed in a news conference before leaving Laos that he and Duterte shook hands, but said it “was not a long interaction”.
Filipino Foreign Secretary Perfecto Yasay said the two leaders had met briefly before dinner on Wednesday evening. You must be respectful.
“I am very sorry that the shipment of coal needed by power plants in my country has been hampered by piracy in the region. Son of a whore, I will curse you in that forum”, Duterte reportedly said.
Philippines ambassador to the United States, Marciano Paynor, said the tiff with the United States was part of a learning curve for Duterte, who needed a chance to make the transition from being a city mayor to a head of state. Do not just throw questions. That deal awaits ratification in the U.S. Congress, where there is opposition from both parties, but Obama said he planned to do everything possible to persuade lawmakers to approve it before year’s end.
“Obviously the Filipino people are some of our closest friends and allies and the Philippines is a treaty ally of ours”.
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Obama also said he believes criticisms about his reception in Asia based on a scuffle over how he exited Air Force One upon his arrival in China are “overblown”.
