President Obama has canceled a meeting with the president of the Philippines, Rodrigo Duterte, scheduled for Tuesday, following an outburst by Duterte.
Since June, more than 2,000 suspected drug dealers have been killed in the Philippines, and Obama said he would discuss with Duterte "international norms" regarding due process. In response, The Associated Press reports Duterte said his country is a "sovereign state and we have long ceased to be a colony. I do not have any master except the Filipino people, nobody but nobody. You must be respectful. Do not just throw questions. 'Putang ina' I will swear at you in that forum." That is the Tagalog phrase for "son of a bitch" or "son of a whore."
Earlier Monday, Obama called Duterte a "colorful guy," and said he asked staff to check with their Philippine counterparts to "make sure if I'm having a meeting, it's productive and we're getting something done." Hours later, a spokesman for the National Security Council said the meeting had been canceled, and Obama will now meet with South Korean President Park Geun-hye instead.
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