Obama cancels meeting with Philippines' Duterte after ‘bitch’ insult

US President Barack Obama cancelled his first meeting with Philippines counterpart Rodrigo Duterte on Tuesday, after the latter described him as a "son of a bitch”.

Duterte's jibe was a response to the US President's promise to raise the issue of drug-related extra-judicial killings in the Philippines at their meeting.

Hours later, he said that he regretted his comments "came across as a personal attack" on the US president.

"President Duterte explained that the press reports that President Obama would 'lecture' him on extrajudicial killings led to his strong comments, which in turn elicited concern," the Philippines government said.

"He regrets that his remarks to the press have caused much controversy," it added in a statement released at the summit in the Laos capital, Vientiane.

The Filipino leader is known for his colourful language, though this time it has had a diplomatic impact. According to the BBC, such colourful talk plays well with the domestic audience, but it could cost Duterte on the international stage.

The White House had earlier said Obama would not pull any punches on his concerns about human rights abuses in the Philippines when meeting Duterte.

According to Reuters, instead meeting with Duterte, Obama now plans to meet South Korean President Park Geun-hye on Tuesday.