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AFTER IMPROMPTU SPEECH ON US KILLINGS

Obama snubs Duterte at end of East Asia Summit — source


US President Barack Obama reportedly snubbed President Rodrigo Duterte at the end of the ASEAN-East Asia Summit, after the Philippine leader delivered a "fiery" impromptu speech about US military killings in the Philippines.

In his report on "Unang Balita" on Friday, GMA News' Joseph Morong quoted a reliable source who said that before leaving the room, Obama went around to shake hands with leaders of the member-nations of the East Asia group, except for Duterte.

However, Foreign Affairs Secretary Perfecto Yasay Jr. was quoted as saying that Obama and Duterte just happened to walk in opposite directions at the time.

Yasay declined to elaborate on what Duterte said in the meeting but confirmed that Obama was in the room. 

A report from Agence France-Presse on Thursday night quoted diplomats attending the meeting in Vientiane, Laos, as saying that Duterte veered off his prepared speech.

An Indonesian delegate told AFP that Duterte "showed a picture of the killings of American soldiers in the past and the President said: 'This is my ancestor[s that] they killed. Why now we are talking about human rights."

The delegated noted that the atmosphere then was "quiet and shocked."

For his part, Obama has urged Duterte to conduct his crime war "the right way."

The DFA earlier said the two leaders had greeted each other before Wednesday's ASEAN Summit gala dinner.

Obama confirmed that he and Duterte shook hands at the time but said it "was not a long interaction."

Obama also said he does not take Duterte's comments personally. — Rose-An Jessica Dioquino/VVP, GMA News

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