Philippines President Openly Insults American Ambassador with Homophobic Slur, Describes John Kerry as a ‘Crazy Person’

Recently, we reported that the United States government has donated $32 million to the Philippines, to help fund the country’s recent controversial crackdown on drug dealers.

The announcement of the money from the United States government was made by Secretary of States, John Kerry during his meeting with President Rodrigo Duterte at the presidential place, in the capital Manila. Mr Kerry had paid a brief visit to the Philippines in July.

However, after the visit and the donation of the money, it seems relations between the two countries is beginning to sour, following some comments passed by president Duterte on Kerry and the United States ambassador to the Philippines, Philip Goldberg.

Mr Duterte reportedly called Mr Goldberg a “gay son of a bitch,” and described Mr Kerry as “crazy.” Duterte made these disparaging remarks on the two American diplomats during an address to the Pilipino Armed Forces, at the Central Command Headquarters on August 5th, 2016.

Speaking in the local language Tagalog, Duterte recounted the visit made by Kerry to the country. Duterte said he was feuding with Goldberg and never wanted to get closer to him. He revealed that when he [Duterte] was contesting in the elections, which brought him to power, Mr Goldberg was interfering in the elections and backing his opponent. Duterte was elected as president of the Philippines in June, 2016. President Duterte revealed he openly told Kerry about his hate for Goldberg, and even suggested that Goldberg be changed as the United States ambassador to the Philippines.

“I was with (incoming defense chief General) Delfin Lorenzana. We talked to Kerry, he was actually OK because I had a fight with his ambassador. I told him: ‘your ambassador is a gay son of a bitch.’ I was annoyed at him, for interfering in the elections, giving statements here and there. He wasn’t supposed to do that,” Duterte said in the speech. Mr Goldberg has been the United States ambassador to the Philippines since November, 2013.

After lashing out on Goldberg, Duterte then descended on Kerry. He described Kerry as a “crazy person”, saying Mr Kerry came to the Philippines to woo the country with money. He urged the Armed Forces to be careful of the activities of the American troops in the country.

President Duterte said: “Kerry came here, we had a meal, and he left me and Delfin $33 million. I said, OK, maybe we should offend them more, so this crazy will just give more money, just to make peace. So, it’s all about the money.”

Duterte’s remarks have prompted United States officials in Washington to summon the Philipino ambassador to the country, Jose Cuisia to clarify what his president had said.

At a press briefing, State Department spokeswoman, Elizabeth Trudeau said: “We have asked the Philippines chargé to come into the State Department to clarify those remarks.”

CNN reports that Duterte has a track-record of speaking his mind unreservedly in public. Some commentators in the United State have compared Duterte to the Republic presidential candidate, Donald Trump, regarding how the two speak in public.

Duterte took office at the end of June, after campaigning on a platform of tough policies on drugs and crime. It is said during his presidential campaign, Mr Goldberg and the Australian ambassador to the Philippines, Amanda Gorely urged Mr Duterte to apologize for comments he made in 1989, regarding the rape and murder of an Australian missionary in a prison in the city of Davao, where he was the then mayor. Duterte is said to have congratulated the people who raped and killed the missionary.

Duterte repeatedly refused to apologize for the comments. He told Goldberg and Amanda to keep their mouth shut, warning them not to get involved in the politics of the Philippines.

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