President Rodrigo Duterte likened on Monday the communist New People's Army to the terrorist ISIS (Islamic State of Iraq and Syria) for having no ideology, but "to destroy and kill".

In a speech in Camp Crame in Quezon City, Duterte condemned the ambush allegedly perpetrated by the leftist rebels against government troops who were involved in relief operations in typhoon-hit area in Eastern Visayas.

Duterte said he was "sick and tired" of the atrocities being committed by the rebels.

"You're like the ISIS. It's an empty thing. There's no ideology except to destroy and kill," Duterte said.

Duterte said his order to the military and the police was to give the Maoist-inspired rebels "no quarters."

"No quarters given, no quarters asked," he said.

He said the soldiers whom the rebels ambushed in Samar were supposed to help the evacuees.

"That's why I said, there is no point in talking to you. There's not even a single factor of revolutionary there," Duterte said.

Two soldiers were hurt in the ambush. government troops were supposed to extend assistance to a village in Catubig town, which was affected by Tropical Depression "Urduja", when attacked by the rebels.

Duterte, who visited Biliran, also battered by "Urduja", promised to immediately repair the bridges that were destroyed.

He also ordered the concerned agencies to provide livelihood and and other aid to the affected communities. Celerina Monte/DMS