The Philippine president later said that he regretted that his comments “came across as a personal attack”.
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The State Department said a planned first meeting between Obama and his counterpart Rodrigo Duterte on the sidelines of a regional summit in Laos on Tuesday was canceled because the tone of the Philippine leader’s rhetoric raised questions about the chances of productive talks.
Foreign Affairs spokesman Charles Jose said the two leaders met at the holding room of the National Convention Center.
Indeed, Obama had a “brief discussion” with Duterte on Wednesday in a private room where world leaders mingled outside the view of the press before they entered the gala, according to an Obama administration official.
While a Philippine spokesman said he was “very happy” it happened, the USA side said they had a “brief discussion” in a pre-meal “hold space” for leaders.
Touring a rehabilitation center in Vientiane, Obama said the USA had a “profound moral and humanitarian obligation” to work to prevent more bloodshed from the remnants of the US bombardment.
On Monday, hours before arriving in Laos, Duterte told Philippine reporters he wouldn’t accept questions from Obama about extrajudicial killings that have occurred during his crackdown on suspected drug dealers and users.
The $90 million to clean up unexploded bombs joins another $100 million to USA has committed to effort in the last 20 years, as annual deaths have fallen from more than 300 to fewer than 50, the White House said.
The Republican presidential candidate appears to have softened some of his rhetoric and policy positions in hope of appealing to the wider electorate, and Duterte may have to follow suit, albeit for different reasons. In view of the ongoing crisis in the South China Sea and China’s increasing assertiveness in the region, the relationship is important for both United States and the Philippines.
The White House then said Obama might speak with Duterte informally.
“We will be wallowing in the mud like pigs if you do that to me”. Shortly after the comments were reported, the White House canceled a scheduled meeting with Duterte.
“I do not have any master except the Filipino people, nobody but nobody”. “You just can not shoot a statement against the president of any country”.
President Barack Obama also pledged on Tuesday to dramatically increase United States efforts to clear millions of bombs secretly dropped on tiny Laos by American planes a generation ago, saying the clean-up was a “moral obligation”.
“President Duterte is a rock star not only in our country but also in other countries like Laos, Japan”, he said.
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The US announced on Tuesday it would provide an additional $90 million over the next three years to help Laos, heavily bombed during the Vietnam War, clear unexploded ordnance (UXO) that has killed or injured more than 20,000 people.
