Story highlights Obama was to meet with the South Korean President instead

Duterte says he is "not answerable to anyone except the Filipino people"

Vientiane, Laos (CNN) Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte is expressing regret after his obscenity-laden rant against President Barack Obama prompted the White House to cancel planned bilateral talks between the two leaders.

Duterte, who cursed Obama as a "son of a bitch" Monday, said in a statement through his spokesman that he regretted "it came across as a personal attack on the US President."

"We look forward to ironing out differences arising out of national priorities and perceptions," the statement released on Tuesday read.

White House officials previously said Obama would confront Duterte about his country's handling of drug dealers, including extrajudicial killings , which are government executions without the benefit of judicial proceedings.

"Who does he think he is? I am no American puppet. I am the president of a sovereign country and I am not answerable to anyone except the Filipino people," Duterte scoffed in a speech Monday. "Son of a bitch, I will swear at you."

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