US President Barack Obama speaks during a news conference at the Landmark Mekong Riverside Hotel in Vientiane, Laos, Thursday, September 8, 2016, after attending the ASEAN Summit. “Because you will destroy a whole generation”, the President said.
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Then he went on to mention, “Pati itong si Ban Ki-moon nakihalo (And even Ban Ki-moon joined the fray)!”
But Obama ended up exchanging pleasantries with Duterte on the summit’s sidelines.
During the EAS, Najib said Duterte also showed him pictures of the increasingly serious drug-related problems in the Philippines, as well as pictures from the colonial era, in which thousands of Filipinos were killed by the U.S. and Spanish armies.
“I realize this raises tensions”, Obama said as he met with ASEAN leader, referring to a recent worldwide arbitration ruling against China on the maritime dispute.
More than 2,800 suspected drug dealers and users have been killed and almost 700,000 others have surrendered out of fear of being killed since Duterte took office on June 30, according to police. He has dealt with the emergency response to a deadly bombing in Davao – where Duterte was once mayor – that killed 14 people and injured up to 70.
Earlier this week, Cayetano said that he had written an open letter to Obama appealing for the USA government to help the Philippine government pursue an independent foreign policy.
Duterte blamed the media for distorting his words, saying he did utter “son of a bitch” but it was not directed at Obama.
“You must be respectful”.
“I think it seems to be just a habit, a way of speaking for him”, he added.
Obama and Duterte shook hands and had a brief chat on Wednesday, officials said, easing the standoff.
Relations between long time allies the US and the Philippines saw a spectacular setback this week after Mr. Duterte branded Mr. Obama a “son of a whore”.
The remarks came at the end of Obama’s ninth visit to southeast Asia, where he has tried to bolster relations and present the U.S.as a counterbalance to the increasing power of China.
“The concern that I’ve heard is, ‘Will it continue?'” Obama said, arguing that it’s in the best interest of the U.S.to do so. The photograph showed about 200 dead Filipino Moros stacked in a common pit, with an American soldier holding a rifle while stepping on the breasts of a naked Moro woman. “Also gave a statement before, several weeks ago, about the human rights violation”.
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Asked how he will explain the killings to Obama, he said: “You must be respectful”.
