THE UNITED States sought to ease tensions brought about by the controversial tirade of President Rodrigo Duterte against US President Barack Obama, with a White House official insisting that relations between Manila and Washington remain “rock solid”.
Advertisement
Earlier, Palace spin doctors caused confusion after they claimed that Duterte would be seated between Obama and Ban, but Duterte found himself seated between Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev and Indonesian President Joko Widodo.
The meeting comes just days after Duterte used explosive language about Obama, forcing Obama to abruptly postpone a formal meeting the two had scheduled during his visit to the region.
Foreign Affairs spokesperson Charles Jose later confi rmed that Duterte and Obama had already met patched things out between the two world leaders who affirmed to continue the strong relationship between the Philippines and the United States.
However, Obama cancelled the meeting after Duterte warned him and other leaders against questioning his bloody anti-drug campaign with the words “son of a bitch”.
In addition to the wave of violence, the nation has few drug rehabilitation centers capable of dealing with an influx of drug users hoping to get treatment since Duterte took office.
“They met at the holding room and they were the last persons to leave the holding room”. You must be respectful.
The meeting took place in a holding space for leaders, the official said, adding the “exchange consisted of pleasantries between the two”. “I am the president of a sovereign country and I am not answerable to anyone except the Filipino people”, he proclaimed before traveling to Laos for the summit. Do not just throw questions.
His outburst was prompted by United States assertions that Obama planned to raise the issue of Duterte’s war on crime that has claimed 3,000 lives in just over two months. “Putang ina, I will swear at you in that forum”, Duterte said, using the Tagalog phrase for “son of a bitch”.
Advertisement
You are reading news and information on LongIsland.com, Long Island’s Most Popular Website, Since 1996. Doing so may result in civil and/or criminal penalties.
