Duterte elected in the Philippines

[grumbler]

And yet it's the place to be seen every year; if he were really that bad, the World Economic Forum would've picked another city years ago.

Davos, Davao... it's hard to tell Switzerland and the Philippines apart.

[CountDeMoney]

At least Languish has you on the joke bomb squad to detonate them in place, g. 

[mongers]

Saw a news report the government was crowing about over one hundred suspect having already been killed. 

[jimmy olsen]

More than 700 killed so far.

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/aug/02/more-than-700-killed-in-less-than-three-months-in-filipino-drugs-crackdown

[Monoriu]

That's it.  I am a pussy and I hereby declare that I will not visit the Philippines until this stops.  The risk of a random policeman walking up to me and accusing me of dealing in drugs is too much for me to bear. 

[grumbler]

That's it.  I am a pussy and I hereby declare that I will not visit the Philippines until this stops.  The risk of a random policeman walking up to me and accusing me of dealing in drugs is too much for me to bear.

As long as your stance isn't based on any kind of principle other than self-interest, I believe you.

[Monoriu]

That's it.  I am a pussy and I hereby declare that I will not visit the Philippines until this stops.  The risk of a random policeman walking up to me and accusing me of dealing in drugs is too much for me to bear.

As long as your stance isn't based on any kind of principle other than self-interest, I believe you.

Self-interest is one of the most powerful forces in the universe

[Razgovory]

Grumbler's response here is a little weird.

[Hamilcar]

That's it.  I am a pussy and I hereby declare that I will not visit the Philippines until this stops.  The risk of a random policeman walking up to me and accusing me of dealing in drugs is too much for me to bear.

As long as your stance isn't based on any kind of principle other than self-interest, I believe you.

Self-interest is one of the most powerful forces in the universe

The universe is run by the complex interweaving of three elements: Energy, matter, and enlightened self-interest.

[garbon]

I'm sure Obama can survive a rebuke from the ruler of the Philippines.

https://www.yahoo.com/news/duterte-tells-obama-not-him-killings-101149877.html

Duterte tells Obama not to question him about killings

Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte warned President Barack Obama on Monday not to question him about extrajudicial killings, or "son of a bitch I will swear at you" when they meet in Laos during a regional summit.

Duterte said before flying to Laos that he is a leader of a sovereign country and is answerable only to the Filipino people. He was answering a reporter's question about how he intends to explain the extrajudicial killings to Obama. More than 2,000 suspected drug pushers and users have been killed since Duterte launched a war on drugs after taking office on June 30.

In his typical foul-mouthed style, Duterte responded: "I am a president of 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," he said, using the Tagalog phrase for son of a bitch.

Duterte has earlier cursed the pope and U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon.

It isn't clear whether Obama planned to raise the issue of extrajudicial killings with Duterte during a scheduled meeting on the sidelines of the summit of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations.

Asked at a news conference in Hangzhou, China, whether he still intends to meet with Duterte and raise the issue of extrajudicial killings, Obama said he had instructed his aides to assess whether it is still possible for the two leaders to have a constructive meeting in Laos.

"I always want to make sure that if I'm having a meeting that it's actually productive, and that we're getting something done," Obama said.

"We recognize the significant burden that the drug trade plays not just in the Philippines but around the world, and fighting narco-trafficking is tough. But we will always assert the need to have due process and to engage in that fight against drugs in a way that's consistent with basic international norms. And so, undoubtedly, if and when we have a meeting this is something that is going to be brought up," said Obama, who has been attending a meeting of the Group of 20 nations.

"Who is he to confront me?" Duterte said in his remarks, adding that the Philippines had not received an apology from the United States for misdeeds committed during its colonization of the Philippines.

He pointed to the killing of Muslim Moros more than a century ago during a U.S. pacification campaign in the southern Philippines, blaming the wounds of the past as "the reason why (the south) continues to boil" with separatist insurgencies.

Last week, Duterte said he was ready to defend his bloody crackdown on illegal drugs, which has sparked concern from the U.S. and other countries.

Duterte said he would demand that Obama allow him to first explain the context of his crackdown before engaging the U.S. president in a discussion of the deaths.

I also like the 'who is he to confront me'? Umm, only the most powerful man in the world.

[Zanza]

If I was the most powerful man in the world with a calendar filled to the brim, I would not meet with insignificant people who insult me before the meeting even started. Obama should just go and play a round of golf instead.

[CountDeMoney]

I'm sure Obama can survive a rebuke from the ruler of the Philippines.

Meh, he gets worse from Congress.  And governors.  And sheriffs.  And candidates.

[garbon]

If I was the most powerful man in the world with a calendar filled to the brim, I would not meet with insignificant people who insult me before the meeting even started. Obama should just go and play a round of golf instead.

Obama felt the same.

http://edition.cnn.com/2016/09/05/politics/philippines-president-rodrigo-duterte-barack-obama/

After cursing Obama, Duterte expresses regret

Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte is expressing regret after his obscenity-laden rant against President Barack Obama prompted the White House to cancel planned bilateral talks between the two leaders.

Duterte, who cursed Obama as a "son of a bitch" Monday, said in a statement through his spokesman that he regretted "it came across as a personal attack on the US President."

"We look forward to ironing out differences arising out of national priorities and perceptions," the statement released on Tuesday read.

White House officials previously said Obama would confront Duterte about his country's handling of drug dealers, including extrajudicial killings, which are government executions without the benefit of judicial proceedings.

"Who does he think he is? I am no American puppet. I am the president of a sovereign country and I am not answerable to anyone except the Filipino people," Duterte scoffed in a speech Monday. "Son of a bitch, I will swear at you."

Obama has worked hard to develop the Philippines' partnership with the US and as a regional counterbalance to China. He's visited the country twice in his second term, and announced on a stop there in November the return of a US military presence at a critical naval base on the South China Sea.

But Duterte's derogatory comments and a spike in extrajudicial killings of suspected drug dealers put the relationship in stormier waters.

Obama and Duterte had been set to meet in Laos this week, where Obama is attending a meeting of Southeast Asian leaders. The statement from Duterte's spokesman said the "meeting has been mutually agreed upon to be moved to a later date."

Obama instead will meet on Tuesday with President Park Geun-hye of South Korea.

In his speech Monday, Duterte also blamed the United States for causing the unrest on the southern Philippines island of Mindanao.

"As a matter of fact, we inherited this problem from the United States," he said. "Why? Because they invaded this country and made us their subjugated people. Everybody has a terrible record of extrajudicial killing. Why make an issue about fighting crime?"

He added: "Look at the human rights of America along that line. The way they treat the migrants there."

Obama indicated Monday he was wary of meeting with Duterte, suggesting the bombast could prevent making substantial progress between the two nations.

"I always want to make sure if I'm having a meeting that it's productive and we're getting something done," Obama said during a news conference.

"If and when we have a meeting, this is something that is going to be brought up," Obama said, referring to the Philippines' controversial record of combating drug crime since Duterte took office earlier this year.

Later, on Monday afternoon, the White House announced the meeting was canceled.

[Valmy]

Yeah why waste time with this clown? Nothing productive will be accomplished and all it will do is provide him a platform to grandstand.

"Who does he think he is? I am no American puppet. I am the president of a sovereign country and I am not answerable to anyone except the Filipino people,"

True. Do they like you trashing your nation's interests for no other purpose than the satisfaction of screaming out obscenities?

[CountDeMoney]

Obama should let the CIA topple his government, just to do it.

I'm sure we've got the handbook around somewhere.