Duterte welcomes Trump to Philippines

President Trump arrived in the Philippines on Sunday as part of his five-nation tour of Asia, were he was welcomed by Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte.

Trump and Duterte shook hands during a dinner in Manila for the Association of Southeast Asian Nations summit, according to White House pool reports. 

Reuters reported that protesters attempted to demonstrate at the United States Embassy in the Philippines’ capital as Trump arrived, but were stopped by police.

{mosads}Duterte has faced human rights abuse accusations as he pushes a drug crackdown in the country.

Trump, who has been urged to confront Duterte on human rights, praised the Philippine leader in May for doing an “unbelievable job on the drug problem.”

Trump, during a press conference earlier Sunday before departing Vietnam, clarified his comments on whether he believes Russia interfered in the 2016 U.S. presidential election.

“I believe in our intel agencies,” he said, alongside Vietnam President Tran Dai Quang.

Trump told reporters on Saturday that he believes Russian President Vladimir Putin “means it” when he says he didn’t meddle in the election.

“Every time he sees me he says, ‘I didn’t do that,’ and I really believe that when he tells me that, he means it,” Trump said Saturday.

The comment quickly sparked widespread criticism.