President Rodrigo Duterte on Saturday revealed that he was rooting for then Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump to win the U.S. elections last month.

The Philippine president made the confession in a press conference in Davao City, following his state visits to Cambodia and Singapore.

According to Duterte, Trump does not appear hostile or antagonistic to him.

"In the liking of my character, it was Trump all along," Duterte replied, after being asked by a foreign journalist who he rooted for to be the next White House occupant.

"I like his mouth. He said so, we talk in the same language," Duterte explained.

Earlier this month, Duterte made a phone call to Trump following the latter's upset victory over Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton.

Duterte said he found it "encouraging" how Trump indicated that Washington would be the "last to interfere" in Philippine affairs, according to a transcript released by the Presidential Communications Office in Manila.

Duterte has repeatedly criticized outgoing US President Barack Obama after the State Department joined an international chorus of criticism over his bloody war on drugs that has left at least 2,000 people killed.