Did Rodrigo Duterte really call Obama a ‘son of a whore’ or was he a victim of his own reputation?
The Philippine president made the remark while insisting he would not be lectured about his brutal crackdown on drugs
As the summit of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations in Laos draws to a close this week, many will see the event as one probably best forgotten for Philippine leader Rodrigo Duterte.
Son of a whore, I will curse you in that forum
As a former government prosecutor who fought outlaws and insurgents, Duterte’s reputation is such that he is nicknamed “Duterte Harry” after Clint Eastwood’s Dirty Harry movie character.
Cementing this image, since he took office as president on June 30, his crackdown on suspected drug dealers and users has left more than 2,000 people dead. More than 600,000 others, mostly drug addicts, have surrendered apparently for fear of being gunned down.
Ahead of the Asean meeting on Monday, the firebrand 71-year-old warned he would not be lectured by Obama over concerns about his country’s brutal war on drug crime.
“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 when asked about his message for Obama.