MANILA - President Rodrigo Duterte criticized the United States Thursday for supposedly not having word of honor, citing Washington’s 2016 decision to recall sale of weapons to Manila over alleged human rights violations.

Duterte compared the US to Japan, saying the latter should be hailed for having word of honor.

“Yan ang sentimiyento ko talaga sa Amerika. Tsaka bossy masyado. Iyong kanilang sarhento, tinyente, magsalita akala mo heneral rin. Kaya hindi ako nakikinig sa kanila. I do not listen to you. Wala kayong word of honor,” he said in a speech before the Filipino community in Tokyo.

(That's my sentiment against America. They're too bosy. Even sergeants act like generals. That's why I don't listen to them.)

“Ang pinaka may word of honor, Japan. Totoo,” he said.

(Unlike Japan, which has word of honor.)

In 2016, the US State Department halted the planned sale of some 26,000 assault rifles to the Philippine National Police after some American lawmakers said the weapons may be used in the government's campaign against illegal drug users and peddlers.

Unlike the US, President Duterte said Russia and China helped the Philippines during the Marawi siege in 2017 without any conditions.

Duterte instead encouraged Filipinos to support Japan, describing the ally as “kind.”

“Kaya kung ako sa inyo is you help Japan. Truly ‘yung in good faith. Sweat it out kasi unang-una they’re kind to us and they provide us with so many things. Libre,” he said to the applause of Filipinos in Japan.

President Duterte is currently in Japan on a working visit to attend the 25th International Conference on the future of Asia. He is also set to hold a bilateral meeting with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on Friday.

Japan is the Philippines' top source of official development assistance and second top trading partner next to Asia’s economic giant China.

There are over 280,000 Filipinos working and living in Japan.