Philippines' Duterte says to deal with Trump in 'most righteous way'

Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte said on Sunday he would deal with U.S. President Donald Trump 'in the most righteous way' when they meet next month to discuss regional security and Manila's war on drugs.

Trump will travel to Asia on Nov. 3-14 amid rising tensions over North Korea's nuclear and missile programmes.

He will be in Manila on the last leg of his trip, which includes visits to Japan, South Korea, China, and Vietnam, to attend the ASEAN leaders' summit.

Trump will meet with Duterte but will skip the larger meeting in Manila with heads of states and governments from China, South Korea, Japan, India, Australia and New Zealand.

"It would be terrorism, cooperation between the two countries, the fight against drugs. I expect to be dealing with him around these topics," Duterte said in a media briefing before leaving for Japan to meet Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.

"I would deal with President Trump in the most righteous way, welcome him as an important leader," he said. "I would have to also listen to him, what he has to say."

Duterte is known for his often profanity-laden tirades against the United States, chiding Washington for treating the Philippines "like a dog," despite the two nations' longstanding relationship.

The Philippines' leader announced his "separation" from the United States during a visit to Beijing a year ago, declaring he had realigned with China as the two agreed to resolve their South China Sea dispute through talks.