Duterte called Obama “son of a whore”
The White House cancelled President Barrack Obama’s meeting with Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte following a controversial statement made by the latter, reported New York Times.
Rodrigo Duterte, on Monday, called Obama a “son of a whore,” and warned him not to raise questions about the extrajudicial killings in the country when they meet in Laos during the summit of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations on Tuesday, reported AFP.
“You must be respectful. Do not just throw away questions and statements, Son of a whore, I will curse you in that forum,” Duterte told reporters during a press meet ahead of flying to Laos to attend the summit.
“I am a president of a sovereign state and we have long ceased to be a colony. I do not have any master except the Filipino people, nobody but nobody,” he added.
White house had earlier said that President Obama would raise questions about the extrajudicial killing of drug dealers and users in the Philippines during his meeting with Rodrigo Duterte.
According to the official records released by the Philippine government, about 2400 people have died in the anti-drug operation carried out by the government since Duterte took office on June 30.
Duterte went on to blame America for causing problems in the Philippines.
“As a matter of fact, we inherited this problem from the United States. Why? Because they invaded this country and made us their subjugated people. Everybody has a terrible record of extra-judicial killing. Why make an issue about fighting crime?” he said.
The hardliner Philippine president attacked America for the human right situation in the country saying, “Black people are being shot even if they are already lying down.”
“Look at the human rights of America along that line. The way they treat the migrants there,” he said.
President Obama, in response to Duterte’s statement, had hinted on Monday that the meeting may not take place as scheduled.
“I always want to make sure if I’m having a meeting that it’s actually productive and we’re getting something done,” said Obama.
Reiterating that concerns over the extrajudicial killings in the Philippines would be raised in the meeting, the US President said, “If and when we have a meeting, this is something that is going to be brought up. And my expectation, my hope, is that it could be dealt with constructively.”
Duterte had promised to start an uncompromising fight against the illegal drug in the country before being elected as the president of Philippines.
Despite the concerns raised by the human rights activists and organizations, Duterte seems to defend his war on illegal drugs and extrajudicial killings.
“More people will be killed, plenty will be killed until the last pusher is out of the streets. Until the (last) drug manufacturer is killed, we will continue and I will continue,” Duterte said.