Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte reveals his impression of Donald Trump

THEY say imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, and it doesn’t get any better than Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte’s Donald Trump impression.

THEY say imitation is the biggest form of flattery, and it doesn’t get any better than Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte’s impression of Donald Trump.

During a conference of the UN Convention Against Corruption at the Malacanang presidential palace in Manila, Mr Duterte recalled his recent conversation with President-elect Trump.

The two appear to have got off to a good start with Mr Duterte claiming Mr Trump praised his anti-drug campaign as the “right way” during their December 2 phone conversation, The Washington Post reported.

The firebrand Philippines leader, nicknamed “The Punisher”, relayed part of that conversation to the crowd at the presidential palace on Wednesday, even attempting to replicate Mr Trump’s distinctive tone.

And of course it wasn’t without the colourful language Mr Duterte is renowned for.

“Oh, President Duterte, we should fix our bad relations,” he tells the crowd of the conversation.

“It needs a lot of, y’know, you just said something good here. And you’re doing great. I know what’s your worry about these Americans criticising you. You are doing good. Go ahead. I have this problem on the border of Mexico and America and these goddamn s*** guys are ......”

Mr Duterte also told the crowd he told Mr Trump he was impressed by his win and revealed the pair intended to sit down to coffee together.

“Oh yes, when you come to Washington DC or New York City, look me up and we’ll have coffee,” Mr Duterte said with Mr Trump reportedly replying.

“Maybe you can give me a suggestion, one or two, how to solve this goddamn bull*** son of a b****.”

Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte unveils his best Donald Trump impersonation. Picture: Presidential Communications/Government of the Philippines

Mr Duterte has come under criticism over his controversial anti-drugs stance and crackdown on crime which has seen more than 4500 drug dealers and suspects killed since sweeping to power in May.

His brutal approach has earned him the moniker of “The Punisher” after he promised to kill 100,000 criminals within six months of taking power.

The killings have sparked concerns in the Philippines and among UN and US officials, including President Barack Obama, who urged Duterte’s government to take steps to stop them.

However, the Philippines president remains defiant and insisted he won’t be dictated to by countries which carry out their own human rights abuses, including the US.

While Mr Duterte appeared to be rather complimentary towards Mr Trump, the same cannot be said of his treatment towards Mr Obama whom he called a “son of a w****”.

But it’s not just Mr Obama who has been on the receiving end of his colourful language.

In September Mr Duterte told the EU where to go following concerns raised about human rights abuses taking place in his country.

“I have read the condemnation of the European Union. I’m telling them, ‘**** you’.

“You should look at history books, encyclopaedia of events. Britain, France has the gall to condemn me. Again, I repeat it, ‘**** you’.”

He then stuck up his middle finger.

President-elect Donald Trump and Mr Duterte spoke via phone last week. Picture: Gerry Broome/AP

FORGING TIES

It seems President-elect has been busy holding talks with several people from across the political spectrum — and not just world leaders.

Hollywood star Leonardo DiCaprio met with Mr Trump to push climate activism and green jobs yesterday, just as the president-elect announced a climate-science sceptic to head the Environmental Protection Agency.

The pair discussed climate change and how renewable, clean energy could boost the economy by creating millions of new jobs, the actor’s foundation said.

Terry Tamminen, chief executive of the Leonardo DiCaprio Foundation, said in a statement he and the Hollywood star presented the Republican property tycoon, his daughter Ivanka and other aides with a plan to unleash “a major economic revival” through investments in sustainable infrastructure.

Leonardo DiCaprio pictured at the premiere of Before The Flood at the United Nations this month. Picture: Brad Barket/Invision/AP

“Our conversation focused on how to create millions of secure, American jobs in the construction and operation of commercial and residential clean, renewable energy generation,” Mr Tamminen said.

A longstanding environmental champion and a noted supporter of Democrat Hillary Clinton, DiCaprio recently made the climate-change documentary Before the Flood, and reportedly gave Mr Trump the documentary at the 90-minute meeting at Trump Tower, New York.

Future first daughter Ivanka was also earlier presented with a copy.

News of that meeting comes as Mr Trump announced he had tapped Oklahoma Attorney General Scott Pruitt, criticised as a climate-change denier and a staunch fossil-fuel ally, to head the EPA.

Critics have pointed out that Mr Pruitt has spent much of his time as Oklahoma’s top law enforcement official battling the very agency he is now being nominated to lead.

Mr Tamminen, who was secretary of California’s Environmental Protection Agency under former Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, said Mr Trump wanted a follow-up meeting with DiCaprio in January.