The encounter took place in a holding room just before a gala dinner at ASEAN regional summit

President Barack Obama and Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte met informally on Wednesday days after the Duterte branded the US President a “son of a whore”.

The encounter took place in a holding room just before a gala dinner at a regional summit, the Philippines officials said.

“They met at the holding room and they were the last people to leave the holding room. I can’t say how long they met, It all springs from the fact that relationship between the Philippines and the United States is firm, very strong. The basis for this relationship is historical and both leaders realize this,” Foreign Secretary Perfecto Yasay, travelling with Duterte, told reporters shortly afterwards.

“I’m very happy that it happened.”

In a brief statement, the White House said only that “Obama had a brief discussion with President Duterte before the ASEAN Gala Dinner in the leaders’ hold space.”

“The exchange consisted of pleasantries between the two.”

Obama and Duterte are in the Laotian capital along with other regional leaders for the summit. All of them made their way through the holding room before heading to the banquet hall.

Hours before arriving in Laos, Duterte told Philippine reporters he wouldn’t accept questions from Obama about extrajudicial killings that have occurred during his crackdown on suspected drug dealers and users. More than 2,000 people have killed in the crackdown since he took office on June 30.

“I do not have any master except the Filipino people, nobody but nobody. You must be respectful. Do not just throw away questions and statements, Son of a whore, I will curse you in the forum,” Duterte said.

On Tuesday Duterte expressed regret over the remarks, but the White House canceled the formal meeting scheduled for Tuesday.

However, Obama and Duterte entered the dinner venue separately, and were seated far apart and did not interact with each other during the dinner that lasted an hour and 20 minutes.