Duterte launches fresh tirade vs. US, this time in front of new ambassador

President Rodrigo Duterte on Monday lashed out anew at the United States, this time in front of its new ambassador to the Philippines Sung Kim.

During the Negosyo para sa Kapayapaan sa Sulu Christmas Town Hall at Rizal Hall in Malacañang, Duterte ranted about the decision of US aid agency Millennium Challenge Corporation to defer the selection of the Philippines for a second grant due to concerns over alleged human rights violations amid his administration's drug war.

"Come on, guys. Shut up. I do not need your assistance. Millennium Challenge? 400 million? China is going to release to me 15 billion. Go home. I do not need your aid," he said.

"Do not, in dealing with Asians — with all due respect to the Ambassador of the United States — in dealing with Asians, be careful of your language. You cannot do that to the Japanese, and to the Koreans, and to the — they will feel insulted," Duterte added as Kim kept a faint smile.

Duterte said dignity matters at the end of the day.

"Just because there are human rights violations, you will not say that you will never have aid. We do not need it. But bakit sabihin mo pa? 'Mr. Duterte, if this continues, you will lost the assistance...'" he said.

"It is actually an insult. So I hope we can understand each other here," he added.

In his press conference late Friday night after arriving from Singapore, Duterte had kind words for Kim, in contrast to his contentious relationship with former ambassador Philip Goldberg.

"Alam mo, for as long as that [US] State Department does not behave you will find so many enemies and because I have talked to [President-elect Donald] Trump, he was very nice, very courteous, I could not sense any hostile drift, or even the manner he was saying it so indifference I’ll just wait. I will let [outgoing US President Barack] Obama fade away and if he disappears then I will begin to reassess but if I have the time I would like to say to the Americans, come here they have a very good ambassador, of Korean descent. He’s very courteous also," Duterte said. —JST, GMA News