Philippines’ Duterte Threatens to Curse at Obama Over Drug War Killings

Philippine president Rodrigo Duterte warned Barack Obama Monday not to question him about extrajudicial killings or "I will swear at you" at an upcoming summit.

The leader — often described as southeast Asia's answer to Donald Trump — was speaking at a news conference ahead of this week's ASEAN regional meeting in Laos.

Image: Duterte gives a news conference in Davao City, Philippines prior to his departure for Laos.

Duterte gives a news conference in Davao City, Philippines prior to his departure for Laos. MANMAN DEJETO / AFP — Getty Images
Duterte has faced international criticism, including from Washington, over the killings of more than 2,000 suspected drug pushers.

Answering a reporter's question about how he intends to explain the extrajudicial killings to Obama.

Obama must be respectful and not just throw questions at him, or else, "Putang ina, I will swear at you in that forum," he said, using a Tagalog phrase for "son of a *****."

He said he was leader of a sovereign country and answerable only to the Filipino people.

When Obama was asked at a news conference in China whether he would press ahead with a plan to meet with Duterte at a gathering in Laos this week of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, Obama said he had instructed his staff to determine whether a meeting would be "productive."

Obama called the Philippines a close "friend and ally" of the United States and dismissed Duterte's statement as "colorful."