The brief meeting Wednesday night took a little sting out of the soured relations caused by Duterte's intemperate language in referring to Obama earlier this week as a 'son of a bitch.' That caused Obama to cancel a formal meeting scheduled for Tuesday.

Philippine Foreign Secretary Pefecto Yasay told reporters, 'I am confirming that they met.'

There was no immediate confirmation from the White House. 

Yasay told The Associated Press that the leaders 'met at the holding room and they were the last persons to leave the holding room. I can't say how long they met.'

'It all springs from the fact the relationship between the Philippines and the United States is firm, very strong,' he said. 'The basis for this relationship is historical and both leaders realize this. And I'm very happy that it happened.'

Obama and Duterte are in the Laotian capital along with other regional leaders for the summit. 

Duterte had expressed 'regret' for his vulgar language in a statement read out by his spokesman on Tuesday.

He said his 'strong comments' to certain questions by a reporter 'elicited concern and distress; we also regret it came across as a personal attack on the U.S. president.'

Duterte, dubbed 'The Punisher' had earlier warned Obama not to ask about extrajudicial killings during a planned meeting in Laos or 'I will swear at you.'