Duterte blasts De Lima: Immoral, used narco money

Metro Manila (CNN Philippines) — The long-standing word war between President Rodrigo Duterte and Sen. Leila de Lima has come to a head on Wednesday when the President dropped the Senator's name as the public official he wanted to "destroy" — as alluded to in his previous speeches.

Duterte, who went to the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 3 for the arrival of the body of a Navy officer slain in a drug operation, told reporters that De Lima was the person he was referring to at Camp Crame earlier in the afternoon — wherein he said a lady senator had a driver/lover who had collected money from drug sources for campaign purposes.

Duterte said De Lima even paid for a house for his driver — and added this was adultery because he was a married man.

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The President explained he had been in the cross hairs of De Lima even when he was still a Mayor and she was Justice Secretary — linking him to the reported Davao Death Squad.

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"At that time you libeled me, you slandered me. I kept quiet because you are a lady. Sumobra ka na [You crossed the line]." Duterte said.

Related: Panelo: De Lima out to discredit police operations vs drug suspects

The Chief Executive said De Lima had claimed she could prove his link with the liquidation squad, and had a CD as an audio evidence. But until now, Duterte said, the Senator had come up with nothing.

"Ipakain ko sa kanya yang CD. Kaya lang hindi nakakain iyon [I would make her eat that CD but unfortunately it is not edible]."

Duterte and De Lima had been at loggerheads recently over the lawmaker's move to probe the alleged extrajudicial killings in the ongoing drug war.

'So foul'

De Lima, who got wind of Duterte's allusions at Camp Crame, had brushed off the allegations, saying these were "so foul" and she didn't want to "dignify" them.

"I'm surprised why the President has to resort to that. It's plain and simple character assassination," she said.

An evidently-hurt De Lima also appealed to Duterte, apparently wanting to raise the level of discourse — saying both of them were professionals, lawyers and public servants.

Meanwhile, Duterte also continued with his tirade against the United Nations for criticizing his administration's human rights performance.

He mentioned about women and children being killed elsewhere in the world — with the UN not lifting a finger.

"Take for example, in the Middle East, I have yet (to hear the UN) complaining publicly even not criticizing countries who are into bombing villages... killing everybody including the goats, cows and the dogs," he said.

Duterte had also warned foreigners who might come to the Philippines to investigate police operations against drugs. He said he would not give a warm welcome to these people "who would investigate us as if we are criminals."

CNN Philippines' Ina Andolong and Camille Abadicio contributed to this report.