President Rodrigo Duterte said on Tuesday he would form a "death squad" to match the sparrow units of the communist rebels.

In a speech at Camp Rajah Sikatuna in Carmen, Bohol, Duterte said his administration has been trying to make peace with the Communist Party of the Philippines- New People's Army-National Democratic Front.

However, the Maoist group instead has been killing policemen and soldiers.

"I will create my own sparrow. They will just haunt for those hanging around, those people who are prospective NPAs and they will be killed," he said.

Duterte said he will "match their (sparrow units') talent in assassinating people."

The NPA sparrow units were death squads during the Marcos regime.

"Duterte death squad against the sparrow," the President said.

He added that the death squad that he would create would also help in his administration's fight against illegal drugs because "it's a national security matter."

When Duterte was still the mayor of Davao City, he allegedly had a death squad. Celerina Monte/DMS