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Brutish Philippine President Duterte Says He's Tillerson's ‘Humble Friend'

Filipino President Rodrigo Duterte has faced intense criticism for his deadly human rights record

Rodrigo Duterte, the brutish leader of the Philippines, said he was Secretary of State Rex Tillerson's "humble friend in Southeast Asia" after the two leaders met Monday, NBC News reported.

The pair discussed the Philippines' fight against ISIS-linked militants on one of the country's islands, for which the U.S. is supplying resources like training, drones and military aircraft.

Although Duterte has faced intense criticism for his deadly human rights record, Tillerson said there was "no big contradiction" in providing the Philippines with military assistance.

Duterte's comments mark a stark change from his previous interactions with the U.S., including one instance in which he told former President Barack Obama to "go to hell."

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