President Rodrigo Duterte said on Thursday that United States President Donald Trump is trying to clean the mess in the relationship of the two countries, which was strained during the Obama administration.

In a speech in Cavite, Duterte said the strained relationship of the Philippines and the US started with former US President Barack Obama.

"That's why this strained relation I admit it --- with America --- started with Obama. Trump is cleaning the mess," he said.

He recalled how Obama "reprimanded" him in a press interview regarding his war on drugs.

"We are both heads of state. If you have some qualms against me, why don't you go to the United Nations and

squall there until kingdom come? I said, 'You are a son of a b****. I said, 'You can go to hell'," he said.

Obama had criticized the Duterte administration for the thousands of people who were killed due to his war on drugs. Celerina Monte/DMS