Philippine leader continues tirade against America for criticizing brutal anti-drug crackdown that has left more than 3,000 people dead in three months

Philippine leader Rodrigo Duterte has told Barack Obama “you can go to hell” in his strongest tirade so far against the US over its criticism of his deadly anti-drug campaign, adding that he may eventually decide to “break up with America”.

He also lashed out anew at the European Union, saying the bloc, which has also criticized his brutal crackdown, “better choose purgatory, hell is filled up”.

Since becoming president in June, Duterte has had an uneasy relationship with the US and with Obama and has declared intentions to bolster relations with China and Russia as he revamps Philippine foreign policy that has long leaned on Washington.

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The brash-speaking leader also has been hypersensitive to criticism over his anti-drug crackdown, which has left more than an estimated 3,000 suspected drug dealers and pushers dead in just three months, alarming the United Nations, the EU, the US and human rights watchdogs.

In a speech before a local convention attended by officials and business executives, Duterte outlined his disappointments with the US, which has asked his government to stop the widespread killings and has questioned whether human rights are being violated. He also described Washington as an unreliable ally, saying Filipino forces had not benefited from joint combat exercises with US troops.

“Instead of helping us, the first to criticize is this state department, so you can go to hell, Mr Obama, you can go to hell,” Duterte said. Then addressing the EU, he said: “Better choose purgatory, hell is filled up.”

In a later speech at a synagogue in Makati city in the Manila metropolis, Duterte warned he may decide to “break up with America” in his most serious threat so far to push relations back with Washington.

“Eventually I might, in my time, I will break up with America,” he said without elaborating. “I would rather go to Russia and to China.”

In Washington, White House spokesman Josh Earnest said Tuesday the US had not received any official request from Duterte or any other Philippine official to alter any aspect of bilateral cooperation.

“This is an alliance that is robust and that benefits both of our countries,” Earnest said. “Even as we protect this strong alliance, the administration and the United States of America will not hesitate to raise our concerns about extrajudicial killings. We remain deeply concerned by reports of widespread extrajudicial killings by or at the behest of government authorities in the Philippines. The use of that kind of tactic is entirely inconsistent with universal human rights and the shared values of our two countries.”

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Duterte has given assurances that he will not abrogate a 1951 Mutual Defense Treaty with the US and will maintain the long alliance with America, one of his country’s largest trading partners and provider of development and military aid and defense equipment.

The US has expressed concern over the killings and urged Duterte’s government to ensure law enforcement efforts comply with human rights obligations. Last month, Obama canceled a planned first meeting with Duterte on the sidelines of an Asian summit in Laos after the Filipino leader blurted “son of a bitch” in warning the US leader not to lecture him on human rights ahead of their meeting. Duterte later expressed regrets over his remarks.

Angered by US criticism, Duterte has made a series of public pronouncements that he could scale back the activities and presence of visiting US troops in the country.

Last week, Duterte said the joint US-Philippine combat exercises to be held this week, the first of his presidency, would also be the last of his tenure. The exercises, centering on amphibious landing drills, started Tuesday under some uncertainty because of those remarks.

Marine commanders from both sides said at the opening ceremony that the exercises, involving 1,100 American and 400 Filipino military personnel, were aimed at improving readiness by the two countries to respond to a range of crises while deepening their historic ties.

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US embassy officials said Washington had not been formally notified by the Philippine government of any move to scrap other planned drills. Such a move by the Philippines would impede Washington’s plans to expand the footprint of US forces in south-east Asia to counter China.

A Philippine military spokesman for the exercises, Capt Ryan Lacuesta, sidestepped the question of whether Duterte’s remarks had affected the troops and the atmosphere of the drills.

US Marine Brig Gen John Jansen said that aside from promoting regional security, the exercises had helped save lives in terms of fostering more rapid and organized responses to disasters like Typhoon Haiyan in 2013.

“Our alliance remains a key source of stability in the Asia-Pacific region,” Jansen said, expressing confidence “that we will continue to build our partnership and capabilities together”.