President RodrigoDuterte on Saturday ordered checkpoints in the country dismantled.

Duterte announced his order in a speech during the launching of the Comprehensive Reform and Development Agenda for Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) and other conflict-affected areas in Cotabato City.

"Except if it's really necessary, only if there is a specific reason to do it, I am ordering all checkpoints dismantled," Duterte said.

The president was in the latter part of his nearly 50-minute speech when he mentioned about the discomfort of security checkpoints.

"Once you pass a checkpoint of the Army, there is another from the MILF (Moro Islamic Liberation Front), then the MNLF (Moro National Liberation Front) and the police," Duterte said, eliciting laughter from the audience.

Exceptions to his directive are cases where there is reliable information that a suspected criminal is travelling.

"If you're just taking chances, stop it and that's for the entire country," said Duterte.

Duterte described checkpoints as hindrances to people. "If there’s no purpose, that will only inconvenience Filipinos,” he said.

Senior Superintendent Dionardo Carlos, national police spokesman, did not reply when asked for comment on Duterte's latest directive. Emmanuel Tupas/DMS