Rights question ignored

PHILIPPINES President Rodrigo Duterte has met with America’s top diplomat, voiced solidarity with the US amid global concerns over North Korea’s nuclear program and angrily dismissed media questions about human rights abuses by his government.

Mr Duterte (pictured) and US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson met in Manila on Monday at a regional gathering.

It was the highest-level interaction to date between a member of US President Donald Trump’s administration and Mr Duterte, accused by human rights groups of abuses in his war against illegal drugs.

“You come at a time when I think the world is not so good, especially in the Korean Peninsula,” Mr Duterte told Mr Tillerson.

Earlier, as they shook hands, the two ignored a shouted question about whether they would discuss human rights.

And at a news conference after their meeting, Mr Duterte didn’t answer directly when asked whether human rights had come up.

“Human rights, son of a bitch,” Mr Duterte said, arguing he shouldn’t be questioned about alleged violations given the challenges he was facing.

“The war now in Marawi, what caused it but drugs? So human rights, don’t go there.”