President Rodrigo Duterte said on Thursday he is not keen to send an ambassador to the United States.

In a speech in Davao City, Duterte again slammed the US, particularly former President Barack Obama, for criticisms on his campaign against illegal drugs, which resulted to the death of thousands of alleged drug suspects.

"Until now, we don't have (an ) ambassador to the States. I don't feel like sending one," Duterte said.

In August last year, Duterte named his protocol chief Marciano Paynor as Manila's envoy to the US.

But since then, Paynor remains as Duterte's Protocol chief. Celerina Monte/DMS