MANILA — Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte on Monday instructed the army and police to shoot him if he became a dictator and stayed on beyond his term, a scenario his foes are warning against, amid moves by his loyalists to change the constitution.

The firebrand leader sought to dispel speculation he had ordered loyalists in Congress to change the constitution to introduce a federal system that would let him stay in power beyond 2022, when his single term ends.

"If I overstay and wanted to become a dictator, shoot me, I am not joking," Duterte told soldiers during an army base visit, adding that security forces should not allow anybody to mess with the constitution.

"It is your job to protect the constitution and to protect the people. Remember, it is your solemn duty."

Duterte has advocated federalism to tackle inequality, empower provinces and recognize the country's diverse makeup.

Last week, his lower house allies voted to convene a constituent assembly to revise the charter by May this year, scrapping mid-term elections next year and extending the terms of all elected officials.

Constitutional reform has been a divisive issue, with critics accusing lawmakers of trying to prolong their stay in office, or of seeking a way for the hugely popular Duterte to cling to power beyond the end of his term.

Opponents warn it could lead to a repeat of the oppressive rule of late dictator Ferdinand Marcos, saying they are troubled by Duterte's admiration for Marcos and his similar authoritarian traits.

Duterte's spokesman, Harry Roque, has repeatedly said the president has no desire to stay longer than his term and, if anything, would prefer to retire earlier. — Reuters

Misleading account of drugs war deaths

The Philippines hit back at a prominent US-based human rights group on Monday for what it said was a misleading death toll of more than 12,000 in its war of drugs, putting the number at half of that and championing its rate of arrests and drug seizures.

New York-based Human Rights Watch on Thursday said President Duterte had not only resisted calls to end his brutal campaign, but handled criticism by "impugning, harassing, and threatening critics of the government and human rights defenders".

The president's office held a news conference on Monday with police and the drugs enforcement agency to present a detailed rebuttal to a report the foreign minister, Alan Peter Cayetano, said was without "any real research, study or investigation".

Cayetano at the weekend challenged HRW to prove 12,000 people had died in the drugs war, while police spokesman Dionardo Carlos asked the group to provide evidence to help with investigations.

"We hope that they will be more specific, engage us so we can help look into the cases," he said.