Obama Cancels Meeting With ‘Colorful’ Philippine President

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After being called an obscenity by the president of the Philippines, President Barack Obama canceled a meeting with the leader, Rodrigo Duterte, scheduled for Tuesday.

Duterte had threatened to curse out the U.S. commander in chief if Obama raised the issue of extrajudicial killings by Philippine authorities in a sweeping crackdown on drug trafficking. Speaking to reporters, Duterte, who took office in June, said the Philippines is a “sovereign state and we have long ceased to be a colony,” according to the Associated Press.

He added that: “I do not have any master except the Filipino people, nobody but nobody. You must be respectful. Do not just throw questions. ‘Putang ina’ I will swear at you in that forum.”

Asked to respond during a news conference after the Group of 20 Summit in China, Obama said earlier Monday that he had been told of Duterte’s comments, but the U.S. president shrugged it off as another in a line of “colorful statements” from Duterte.

“Clearly, he’s a colorful guy,” Obama said. The president added that he had asked his staff to speak with their Philippine counterparts to “make sure if I’m having a meeting, it’s productive and we’re getting something done.” Obama called the Philippines a close “friend and ally” of the United States.

Hours later, Ned Price, a spokesman for the National Security Council, said that the meeting with Duterte on Tuesday afternoon had been canceled and that Obama would instead meet with South Korean President Park Geun-hye.

More than 2,000 suspected drug dealers have been killed since Duterte took office, and Obama earlier said he would not shy away from the topic of “international norms” when it comes to due process rights when speaking with Duterte.

“We recognize the significant burden the drug trade plays in the Philippines and around the world,” Obama said. But “we will always assert the need to have due process and engage the fight against drugs in a way that is consistent with basic international norms. Undoubtedly, if and when we have a meeting, this is going to be something that’s brought up. My expectation, my hope, is that it could be dealt with constructively.”

Before the meeting was canceled, Obama suggested that the talk was predicated on whether Duterte was willing to have a serious conversation.

“I’m just going to make an assessment,” Obama said at the time. A few hours later, he canceled the meeting.

(c) 2016, The Washington Post · William Wan, David Nakamura 

{Matzav.com}


3 COMMENTS

  1. This is probably to be expected.

    The crazy man is another Fidel Castro. Perhaps worse.

    Manage this concern in your prayers my fellow yids. Mr. Duterte is a despot without human remorse. His easy way to reduce drug trafficking by murdering and capitol punishment of the lesser offense of drug trafficking is a terror in a managed modern future.

    The scary thing is that the drugs are so rampant in the Philippines that I have seen that the estimates are that over 1 million are constant and ongoing drug users. This is a terrible society to offer good order and working rights, but the scary is not the idea that the nazi order to reduce the drug trade can effectively make the scared society more constant in good faith.

    Terror in the reign of a new ‘leader’. This is very bad. And do you know who they said Duterte was when he was getting elected? The Philippine “Donald Trump”.

    It should make you think.

    Scary times here a bit. Lets vote Hillary. What goes on in the Philippines is anyone’s guess but Mr. Obama is likely not the source of the issue.

    Terror in yet another dangerous future.

    Daven.

    • Get back on your meds, or learn how to right in coherent English. I think the former is more appropriate, since any Jdew who is considering voting for the machasheifa really needs his meds.

      If you can compare Trump to Duterte, then I can compare Rodham to Irma Grese.

      • So much for chesed huh? The words too big for your wallet are all over your police state ambitions. My thoughts are you have not learned how Israel even suffered in the holocaust years. What else could make a troll so angry at another jew. Scary, but you are really out there. Any fate you suffer will not be in my prayers.

        Troll.

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