VIENTIANE, Laos — Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte on Tuesday expressed regret for referring to President Obama as a "son of a bitch" and said his nation seeks closer ties with the United States.
The de facto apology came one day after Duterte warned Obama not to question him about his country's extrajudicial killings in a war on drugs. More than 2,000 suspected drug users and dealers have died since Duterte took office two months ago.
On Monday, Duterte said Obama must not throw questions at him, or "son of a bitch, I will swear at you in that forum." Duterte made the comments before arriving here that night for the Association of Southeast Asian Nations Summit. The two leaders had planned to meet, but after Duterte's comments the White House said the meeting would not happen.
"Clearly he's a colorful guy," Obama said Monday.
When Duterte arrived in Laos that night, his tone had changed.
"Washington has been so liberal about criticizing human rights, human rights and human rights. How about you? I have so many questions also about human rights to ask you. So … people who live in glass houses should not throw stones," Duterte said, the Associated Press reported.
Later Duterte issued a formal statement.
"While the immediate cause was my strong comments to certain press questions that elicited concern and distress, we also regret it came across as a personal attack on the U.S. president," Duterte said in a statement. "Our primary intention is to chart an independent foreign policy while promoting closer ties with all nations, especially the U.S. with which we have had a long-standing partnership."
Duterte declared a "state of lawlessness" in his country after an explosion Friday at an open-air market in Davao City killed more than a dozen people during a presidential visit to the city. Duterte previously served as the city's mayor for more than two decades.
The region was under heightened security amid a military offensive against Abu Sayyaf, an Islamic extremist group based in southwestern Philippines. The U.S. has been a major financial supporter of the Philippine military effort.
The tough-talking Duterte took over as president pledging a war on drugs and threatening to "dump all of you (drug dealers) into Manila Bay, and fatten all the fish there." He came under sharp criticism from the United Nations and others for encouraging vigilante-style killings of drug dealers and criminals. Duterte was unmoved.
"Maybe we'll just have to decide to separate from the United Nations," Duterte said.
His statement Tuesday concerning Obama and the United States was high on compromise, low on bluster.
"We look forward to ironing out differences arising out of national priorities and perceptions, and working in mutually responsible ways for both countries."
Bacon reported from McLean, Va.
