Philippine president-elect, Rodrigo Duterte, has given the public permission to kill drug dealers as part of his mission to combat crime and he illegal drug trade in the country.

On Sunday, Duterte told reporters in the southern part of Davao city that citizens who can help him take down criminals will be given rewards.

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"Please feel free to call us, the police, or do it yourself if you have the gun - you have my support," Duterte said.

Duterte urged the public to shoot and kill a drug dealer if they resist arrest. "You can kill him," he added. "Shoot him and I'll give you a medal."

Duterte, 71, has been known for his stern stance on criminals and drug trade while he was still mayor in Davao city. During his presidential campaign, he promised the Filipinos to eliminate crime and corruption within six months of being in office, a statement that raised concerns among police officials as they considered it an impossible mission.

Last week, Duterte announced at a press conference that he is offering a P3M bounty for drug kingpins, telling reporters that he wants them captured "dead or alive."

The president-elect, however, explained that police officials would still have to follow the law as they execute his command.

"They are lectured upon and they learn a lot, it's a subject. When to kill and when not to kill. When is it legal to kill, when is it unlawful to take another man's life," he said.

The bounty money will be transferred to the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) in which portions will be divided according to the drug dealers' roles in the organization: P2 million for supervising drug lords, P1 million for the second echelon and P50,000 for ordinary dealers, Duterte said.

He also claimed that he has enough money to fund his mission to bring down the drug crime organizations, some of which will come from the remaining funds of his recent campaign.

"There is money, and I didn't steal it. That's what I'll use," he said.

Duterte is set to begin his presidential term on June 30, Thursday. Watch his press conference below:

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