SAUL LOEB/AFP/Getty Images(HANGZHOU, China) — After the president of the Philippines warned President Obama not to question him on extrajudicial killings or “son of a b***h I will swear at you,” Obama is now raising the possibility that the two leaders –- who are set to meet Tuesday –- may have no meeting at all.
Calling Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte “a colorful guy” when asked about the comments in a press conference in China Monday, Obama said that he’s instructed his team to talk to their Filipino counterparts about whether the two leaders can still have a productive conversation at this time.
“If and when we have a meeting, this is something that’s going to be brought up,” the president said, adding that he would certainly address the need to approach the drug trafficking war in a “way that is consistent with basic international norms.”
Duterte made the statement regarding his upcoming meeting with Obama after a reporter questioned how he would explain the extrajudicial killings in the Philippines’ drug war if the U.S. President brings up the topic. Both leaders are scheduled to be in Laos to attend the ASEAN Summit about development in Southeast Asia this week.
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