MANILA, Philippines – Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte says he felt "like a saint" after his phone conversation last week with U.S. President-elect Donald Trump, who he said praised him for "doing great" in his deadly campaign against illegal drugs.
Duterte said in a speech Wednesday that Trump told him not to worry about Americans criticizing him, saying "you are doing good, go ahead." He said Trump invited him for coffee if he visits the U.S. to hear how he deals with the media, his critics and the public.
Duterte quoted Trump as saying, "We should fix our bad relations."
The friendly exchange was a departure from Duterte's hostility toward President Barack Obama. He lashed out at Obama for raising concerns over the drug crackdown, which has left more than 4,000 suspects dead.