Philippines' Duterte says if EU, US want to halt assistance 'go ahead'

Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte gestures during his speech at the Beit Yaacov Synagogue, The Jewish Association of the Philippines in Makati city, metro Manila, Philippines October 4, 2016. REUTERS/Aaron Favila/Pool

MANILA (Reuters) - Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte on Thursday told the United States and the European Union that if they were unhappy with his drugs war and wished to withdraw their assistance to his country, they should "go ahead". "I do not expect the human rights (groups), I do not expect (U.S. President Barack) Obama, I do not expect the EU to understand me," he said in a televised speech at an awards ceremony for police in southern Mindanao province. "Do not understand me and if you think it is high time for you guys to withdraw your assistance, go ahead we will not beg for it," he said. (Reporting by Martin Petty; Editing by Simon Cameron-Moore)