Duterte denies calling Obama 'son of a b****,' hits Ban

MANILA - (UPDATED) In a meeting with the Filipino community during a visit to Indonesia on Friday, President Rodrigo Duterte denied calling US President Barack Obama a "son of a b****".

He also hit critics of extra-judicial killings allegedly done in the name of the government's war on illegal drugs, including United Nations (UN) Secretary Ban Ki-moon, and the US State Department.

"Hindi ko sinabing p********. May sinabi ako, pero not in relation to Obama," he said, explaining that he was venting his frustration at questions from the media during a press conference last Monday prior to talks with ASEAN leaders and their dialogue partners in Laos.

READ: Duterte calls Obama a 'son of a w****'

Duterte said he met with Obama in passing, on the sidelines of the East Asian summit, and told the US president that he never called him a "son of a b****", and to check tapes of the press conference. 

Obama earlier cancelled a bilateral meeting with Duterte in favor of one with South Korean President Park Geun-hye, but said later that he does not take the firebrand leader's words personally.

READ: Obama: I didn't take Duterte's cursing personally

In a bid to stop talk regarding human rights violations in the country during the East Asian Summit, Duterte also said he presented photos of US military killings during the Philippines-America war at the turn of the century. 

"Kahapon, sa interaction na ASEAN, nandoon na lahat, round table kami. This is [a violation of] human rights. What do you intend to do? Do not tell me that is water under the bridge," he said. 

Human rights violations, Duterte said, are still human rights violations whether they were committed by Moses or Abraham. 

"When did this philosophy about the human dignity and human rights evolve? Now, or during this time? Tumahimik sila," he said.

The US State Department should also be careful in saying that it will bring up the issue of human rights with the Philippines, he said, adding it is unfair for the US to tell the Philippines to abide by human rights when it had not followed these either.

"Itong State Department, parang mga ulol na nagsama-sama. Para bang kung tayo, violation. Sa kanila, hindi," he said.

Duterte did not spare UN Secretary Ban, whom he met in passing in Laos, in his criticisms.

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"Pati ito si Ban Ki-moon, nakihalo. He also gave a statement a few weeks ago, about the human rights violation. Sabi ko, isa ka pang tarantado," Duterte said, censuring the UN Secretary for allegedly avoiding further discussion with him.

READ: Duterte skips ASEAN-UN meeting with Ban Ki-moon

However, Duterte reiterated that he has no quarrel with the US, despite the country giving the Philippines "principles of law and nothing else" when it comes to the issue of human rights.