Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte calls U.S. envoy Philip Goldberg ‘gay’, prompting summons

The President brushed aside reports of the supposed repercussion of his disagreements with Mr. Goldberg, which was sparked anew after his televised comments last Friday calling Mr. Goldberg “bakla”, which means gay and also coward.

“I will reiterate our strong alliance with America”, Mr. Duterte said, noting that the United States can also provide other military-related apparatus such as satellites and drones.

Sereno said they are now investigating a judge with links to illegal drugs but the judge was not included in Duterte’s list. Duterte even suggested he might end relations with the US over the incident.

Duterte said that he would not allow the drug addicts and the drug lords to slaughter innocent children and the rape of women while the law enforcers would wait for the issuance of warrants. The arrests have further overwhelmed already-overcrowded jails.

The State Department responded on Monday, none too pleased with Duterte’s most recent remarks.

Duterte told those gathered at the southern base Wednesday that the Philippines should be ready to confront the threat brought by Daesh, as its extremist ideology could become a problem.

“That’s what we should be scared of because like the communists…. they are conditioning the minds of the people”, Duterte continued.

He was also quoted as saying, “I don’t care about human rights, believe me”.

The foul-mouthed Philippine leader, who believes journalists deserve to die and has told public to “go ahead and kill” drug addicts on several occasions, is once again making headlines for crude remarks. “I was mad because she was raped? Yes”.

As of August 8, a tally done by the Philippine Daily Inquirer showed that 564 people with suspected links to the drug trade have been killed since Duterte took office on June 30.

Also named on the list were reportedly two retired police generals, soldiers, paramilitary members, judges and a former lawmaker.

President Rodrigo Roa Duterte renewed his call for businessmen to pay correct taxes citing that government needs funds to put up, among others, rehabilitation centers for the thousands of drug addicts who have surrendered nationwide. “Would you rather that I declared martial law?”

Duterte said he is ready to step down even before his six-year term ends once he has eliminated the drug menace and carried out a campaign pledge to shift the government to a federal system.

On the campaign trail, he found himself having to defend comments made in 1989 regarding the rape and murder of an Australian missionary in a prison in Davao when he was the mayor.

But Sereno, in her letter to the President, said of the seven judges he mentioned, one was killed eight years ago.

“As you know, I’m fighting with (US Secretary of State John Kerry’s) ambassador”.