A day after sending shock waves to the White House, President Rodrigo Duterte clarified that he was only seeking a “separation of foreign policy” with the United States and not a total separation from the country’s long-time ally.

Fresh from a four-day state visit to China, Duterte said most Filipinos were not ready to entirely say goodbye, especially those living in the US, because it was “still in the best interest of my country that we maintain that relationship.”

“Better be careful with the word ‘we separate or severed, severed our diplomatic relations’. (It) is not feasible. Why? Because the Filipinos in the United States will kill me,” said Duterte in a briefing at the Davao City airport Friday night. Filipinos in the US contribute half of the $22 billion annual remittances to the country.

Last Thursday, Duterte told Chinese businessmen: ““I announce my separation from the United States, both in military but economics also. America has lost now. I’ve realigned myself in your ideological flow. And maybe I will also go to Russia to talk to Putin and tell him that there are three of us against the world: China, Philippines and Russia. It’s the only way.”

Just like in his previous outlandish statements, Duterte claimed that media got it all wrong again.

“You know, you have to take my words in the context of what I have been saying all along. It’s not severance of ties. When you say severance of ties you cut the diplomatic relations. I cannot do that,” said Duterte.

Duterte explained that the Philippines would not be as obsequious to the Americans like in previous administrations.

“In the past and until I became President, we always follow what the United States would give the cue. What he would give the cue that we are there, we are there. We follow. Pasunod-sunod tayo. Hindi ako magsunod. Now, for example Russia came out with a statement that, there’s mention here that I had a talked with (Russia Prime Minister Dmitry) Medvedev and they are ready to extend any and all assistance. So that if I would like to have an atomic bomb and if it is given to us, I will bring it here. That is what it means,” he added.