MANILA, Philippines (The Adobo Chronicles, Manila Bureau) – When Rodrigo Roa Duterte last week said that Barack Obama can “go to hell,” the Philippine president was dead serious.  But what he said wasn’t offensive.

Duterte was merely extending an invitation to the U.S. President to come visit the Philippines, particularly Manila the capital.

You see, Manila was described by best-selling American author Dan Brown as “the gates of hell” in his latest novel ‘Inferno.’

So, Presidential Communications Secretary Martin Andanar said that “President Duterte was just using Brown’s description of Manila in inviting Obama to come visit again. (Obama was in the Philippines last year during the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation or APEC summit.)

“Duterte’s critics and the news media are just trying to sensationalize everything they hear from our president,” Andanar said. “If Obama was offended, he should complain to  Dan Brown.”

Coincidentally, the film version of ‘Inferno’ is currently showing in theaters in the Philippines and Ron Howard’s new masterpiece makes no mention of Manila or the Philippines as “the gates of hell.”

Perhaps Howard didn’t want to further offend the Filipinos?