Barack Obama briefly met with Philippine leader Rodrigo Duterte on Friday, Manila said, two days after the firebrand politician branded the US President a “son of a whore”.
The encounter took place just before a dinner during a summit of regional leaders in laos, according to the Philippine delegation.
“They met at the holding room and they were the last people to leave the holding room. I can’t say how long they met,” Foreign Secretary Perfecto Yasay, travelling with Duterte, told reporters shortly afterwards.
“I’m very happy that it happened.” Senator Alan Cayetano, one of Duterte’s close aides travelling with him, also said the meeting took place.
However the White House had no immediate comment and the Philippines did not elaborate on what was said.
Obama cancelled yesterday’s planned meeting with Duterte on the sidelines of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations-hosted summit after the notoriously acid-tongued Philippine president launched a barrage of insults the previous day.
His outburst was in response to comments by Obama’s aides that the US president planned to raise concerns about Duterte’s war on crime that has claimed 3,000 lives in just over two months.
“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.