Was US President Barack Obama scared of the possible questions Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte might ask during their meeting?
At least this was what Duterte’s supporters were speculating about as to the reason behind the cancellation of the meeting between the two leaders, aside from Duterte’s threat to curse Obama.
According to the video uploaded on the Facebook fan page “Dugong Maharlika,” Obama backed out of the supposed September 6 meeting with Duterte at the sidelines of the ASEAN Summits in Vientiane, Laos because of what the PH president may ask him. The fan page also added that Obama could have been used to the ‘obedient’ administration of former President Benigno Aquino III.
The video used is actually that of Obama’s press briefing in China after the G20 Summit and before he left for Laos.
Unlike what Duterte supporters claimed, Obama cancelled the meeting because Duterte’s insult could be a sign that their meeting would not be “constructive” and “productive.”
“Clearly, he’s a colorful guy,” Obama said. “What I’ve instructed my team to do is to talk to their Philippine counterparts to find out if this is in fact a time where we can have some constructive, productive conversations.”
Obama even added that if the meeting does push through, he would still push for due process in the Philippine government’s crackdown on drugs.
“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’s going to be brought up,” Obama said.
Even the Secretary of State and US presidential candidate Hillary Clinton said that when Duterte insulted Obama, it was taken as a sign that Duterte did not want the meeting to happen.
“When the president of the Philippines insulted our president, it was appropriate in a very low-key way to say: sorry, no meeting,” she told reporters aboard her campaign plane.
The State Department said that they wanted a meeting with a “cordial” atmosphere.
Would you classify profane remarks as anything friendly? A concerned netizen even reminded Duterte about his promise not to curse once he becomes president and how his mouth could be his own greatest enemy.
“Words matter, and we want to see an atmosphere that is cordial and open to strong cooperation,” State Department spokesman Mark Toner said in Washington during a press briefing.
A few hours after his remarks about Obama and US when he arrived in Laos, Duterte said that he did not want to quarrel with Obama, who, according to him was the “most powerful president of any country in the planet.”
Duterte also issued a statement expressing regret over his “strong comments” that could have come across as a “personal attack” on Obama. He added that he was looking forward to “ironing out” differences between the two countries.
It is rare for Obama to cancel a meeting with another leader, noted The Wall Street Journal. He only canceled a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in 2013, after Moscow approved Edward Snowden’s asylum. Snowden was the former National Security Agency (NSA) contractor who leaked classified information despite objections from the White House.
Duterte confirmed in his statement that the meeting with Obama was “mutually” agreed to be rescheduled to a later date, although that meeting has to open within three months, before Obama’s term ends in January 2017.
And if you Google “Duterte Obama Scared,” guess what the top result was?
Morning Ledger’s headline! “Rodrigo Duterte Scared? PH President Withdraws Obama Comment”
Sources: (wsj.com, gmanetwork.com, edition.cnn.com, morningledger.com)
Be Informed. Beat the Trolls, Share the Truth!
[ads3]
