President Rodrigo Duterte has apologized to former United States president Barack Obama for throwing curse words at him two years ago.
“I am sorry for uttering those words,” Duterte said referring to what he had said about Obama back in 2016.
In his speech on Sunday night before the Filipino community during his foreign state visit, Duterte said that he has “forgiven” Obama for criticizing his controversial war on drugs.
“It would be appropriate also to say at this time that, Mr. Obama, you’re a civilian, I am sorry for uttering those words. It was plain ‘talkatese’ or so like yours,” he said.
“We have learned our lessons very well. Nagkakaintindihan tayo so if it is in your heart to forgive, you forgive. I have forgiven you,” he added.
Obama has previously said the did not take Duterte’s cursing personally. However, the Philippine president’s controversial remarks caused Obama to cancel his meeting with Duterte at the at the sidelines of the ASEAN Summit in Laos.
In another incident, the former US president also urged Duterte to eradicate drug use in the Philippines in “the right way”, to which the Philippine president responded that Obama should “go to hell”.
Duterte also said in his speech last Sunday that Obama is a “cold person” who is “always at a distance”, unlike current US Pres. Donald Trump who he considers as his “good friend” who “speaks [his] language.”
