President Rodrigo Duterte has responded angrily to US lawmakers opposed to the prospect of him visiting the White House. The firebrand leader says they needn't worry because he would never visit "lousy" America anyway.
Image: Reuters/L. Daval Jr
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Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte made the declaration Friday after a US Congress hearing about human rights violations committed under his deadly anti-drug campaign.
"There will never be a time during my term when I will be going to America or thereafter," he told reporters.
"I've seen America and it's lousy… it would be good for the US Congress to start with their own investigation of their own violations of the so many civilians killed in the prosecution of the wars in the Middle East," he added.
Massachusetts Congressman James McGovern said Duterte should never have been invited and threatened to lead protests should the Philippine leader decide to visit.
"What makes that guy think I will go to America?" Duterte responded Friday.
Since entering office a year ago, Duterte has been open about his plans to distance his country from its main defense ally, the United States. He once called former US President Barack Obama a "son of a whore" but has been more amenable towards his successor Donald Trump.
Philippine strongman Rodrigo Duterte completes one year in power
One year ago, Rodrigo Duterte became the Philippine president, vowing to crackdown on organized crime, drug cartels and improve the country's economy. But his presidency has been shrouded in numerous controversies.
Image: picture alliance/dpa/F.-R. Malasig
An outsider
Rodrigo Duterte's rise in Philippine politics began in the spring of 2016. He was considered an outsider in the presidential election but he gradually gained popularity due to a radical election campaign that promised to free the Philippines from drugs and corruption.
Image: Reuters/E. Acayan
Landslide victory
On May 9, 2016, Duterte was elected to the presidency with almost 40 percent of the total votes and a big lead over other candidates. As mayor of Davao, he had transformed the southern city from a mafia-run place into an economically prosperous area. However, human rights activists accuse him of using death squads and brutal force to achieve this goal.
Image: Reuters/E. De Castro/Detail
A short-tempered president
Duterte is known for his sort temper. After coming to power, he threatened to break ties with the EU, the US and Australia. He also publicly insulted foreign leaders like Barack Obama because the former US president labeled Duterte's drug war as inhuman. Duterte also announced that his government would scale down dependence on the US and get closer to China and Russia.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/N. Shrestha/M. Irham
A victory over China
In July 2016, the Philippines won a lawsuit against China at the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague that rejected Beijing's territorial claims on the South China Sea. China refused to accept the court's ruling. Manila nevertheless celebrated it as a victory but remained cautious in its approach toward China due to its economic interests with Beijing.
Image: Permanent Court of Arbitration
Drug killings
Leila de Lima, a senator and former director of the Philippine Human Rights Commission, has emerged as Duterte's most powerful opponent during his one year in power. She is leading a senate probe into extra-judicial killings in Duterte's war on drugs.
Image: Reuters/E. De Castro
Honoring a 'dictator'
One of Duterte's most controversial decisions during his one year in power was to allow the former dictator Ferdinand Marcos' body to be buried in Manila. Marcos had been denied this honor due to massive human rights violations during his reign. Human rights activists and church representatives held demonstrations against Marcos' "hero's burial."
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/D.M. Sabangan
Fighting 'Islamic State'
In May, militant groups affiliated with the self-styled "Islamic State" (IS) group took control of the southern city of Marawi. Duterte declared Martial Law in Mindanao province and his forces have been trying to recapture the city for weeks. More than 200 people have been killed in the fighting and thousands have fled the town.
Image: Getty Images/AFP/T. Aljibe
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'Tantamount to crimes against humanity'
Thousands of Filipinos have been killed since Duterte launched his war on drugs a year ago. The campaign has drawn international condemnation from human rights groups, as well as from the European Union and the Obama administration.
Soon after entering office, Trump phoned Duterte, told him he was doing "an unbelieveable job on the drug problem," and invited him to the White House - a move that attracted heavy criticism at the time.
Philippines: Addicts and Withdrawal
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Duterte has vowed to continue with his crackdown on drugs, despite accusations by human rights groups that the wave of killings amount to crimes against humanity.
Police say at least 3,200 people have been killed in anti-drug operations. But Misa Concepcion, communications manager of advocacy group iDefend, told the US Congress hearing in Washington that about 7,000 people had been killed by police and vigilantes under Duterte.
"We have the basis to claim that what is actually happening is tantamount to crimes against humanity," she told Agence France Presse.
