Duterte to defend. slays in Obama meet From page Al drugtrade. More than 2,000 drug sus- pects have been Killed, nearly half of them in police opera- tions, since Mr Duterte took of- fice on June 30 and immediately launched a drive to fulfil a cam- paign promise of killing tens of thousands of criminals and stamping out illegal drugs with- insix months of is presidency. ‘Asked yesterday ifhe was will {ng to discuss the rights situation with Obama, Mr Duterte said, “Tt depends at what degree.” ‘Listen to me first’ “They must understand the problem first before we talk about human rights,” he told re- porters at Ninoy Aquino Inter- national Airport, where he met 120 Filipino workers who had lost their jobs in Saudi Arabia. “{ would insist, ‘Listen to me. ‘This is what the problem is.’ ‘Then we can talk. No problem,” the President said. “Avoid drugs at all costs be- cause it could cost your lives, 00," he said to the laid-off mi- grant workers, adding that 3 mil- lion Filipinos are drug addicts. Griticism by the US govern- ‘ment, UN rights experts and hi ‘man rights groups over the extra Judicial Killings have provoked ‘angry outbursts from Mr Duterte, ‘who, at one point, threatened t0 pull the Philippines our of the United Nations. In profanityaced tirades, he said the United Nations had failed to prevent genocidal lallings in Africa and the Middle East, and the United ‘States had failed to stop the killings of African-Ameri cans by white police. ‘The United States has urged the Duterte administration to ‘ensure that law enforcement ef- forts comply with human rights ‘obligations in the erackdown on illegal drugs, which includes forcing the surrender of drug users and detaining them. “We are concemed by these detentions, as well asthe extra- judicial killings of individuals Suspected to be involved in drug activity in the Philippines,” US state department spokesperson Elizabeth Trudeau said. “we srongly urge the Philip- pinesto ensures aw enforcement efforts comply with its human rights obligations,” she added. “The White House said Obama ‘would also raise concems about some of Me Dutere's ‘recent state- ‘ments when they meet nxt week, It was. a reference to Mc Duterte's lashing out at US Am- bassador Philip Goldberg, brand- inghim a gay son of atch.” “The White House said, howev- er, that there were also important security issues for Obama and Mr Duterte to discuss, particular- ly tensions over freedom of navi- gation in the South China Sea, China has been incensed by 2 ruling against its daims to almost allof the South China Seaby an in temational arbitration court, in an action brought by the Philippines. Similarities with Putin Mr. Duterte is also expected to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Laos. “That I look forward to,” he said. Asked why, he said he liked Putin more. “We have a lot of simiari- ties," he said. ‘Asked what similarities, he replied: “Maybe when it comes togirls” With reports from AP and Reuters PHILIPPINE D, ‘I won’tb By Leila B. Salaverria HE'S tough on illegal drugs, but there is no way that he will be another Ferdinand Marcos, Pres- dent Duterte said yesterday. ‘According to Mr. Duterte, he ‘has no intention of becoming a dictator as he attempts to eradi- cate the illegal drug scourge in ‘overseas Filipino workers about 5-yr-old fa Frompage Al fcainthe head. The attack cook place four days after Garcia appeared at the police station to clear his name after he leamed that he was on a watch list of drug users and pushers. Gemma has denied that her husband was involved in the sale ofillegal drugs. Garcia, who was recuperat- ing ina hospital, was unable to attend the funeral. The event helped reunite Danica’s estranged parents, at Teast fora brief moment. “The child’ father, Joseph Es-