Philippine police commandos have killed six bodyguards who worked for a town mayor who turned himself in over links to the illegal drug trade, as President Rodrigo Duterte's anti-drug war shifted from street peddlers to officials.

National police spokesman Dionardo Carlos told reporters there had been a gunbattle on Wednesday between the police and bodyguards working for mayor Rolando Espinosa after police went to search Espinosa's home on Leyte island in the central Philippines.

Espinosa, mayor of Albuera town, turned himself in to the national police chief on Tuesday after Duterte asked him and his son, Kerwin, to surrender within 24 hours over their involvement in the drug trade, warning they would be killed if they resisted arrest.

An armed and bloodied Filipino lies at the gate of Mayor Rolando Espinosa's house in the town of Albuera, Leyte island, Philippines

Kerwin Espinosa is reportedly 'the number one drug lord' in the region and is 'armed and dangerous' while on the run

Espinosa has publicly denied any part in the drug trade but said his son was peddling 'shabu' (methamphetamine), which he gets from a jailed Chinese drug trader.

His son Kerwin is reportedly 'the number one drug lord' in the region and is 'armed and dangerous' while on the run.

Espinosa admitted that his son has had plastic surgery, like him.

At least six alleged supporters of Mayor Rolando Espinosa were killed during a raid conducted by police at his family compound in Albuera town in the early morning hours

Mayor Rolando Espinosa, who was subject to a 'shoot on sight' order if resisting arrest that was issued by President Rodrigo Duterte, surrendered ahead of a 24 hour deadline on 02 August

Philippine National Police (PNP) Director General Ronald 'Bato' Dela Rosa said: 'Your father already surrendered so you should follow your father... Your life is really in danger.'

'The incident this morning was related to the investigation on alleged drug trade by the mayor and his son,' Carlos said.

He said six men were killed and six others escaped.

'We have recovered 13 high-powered firearms and five pistols from the scene,' he said. Charges would be laid against the mayor for keeping unlicensed guns, Carlos said.

The exterior of Mayor Rolando Espinosa's expensive house in the town of Albuera. The Mayor is suspected of drug trafficking and the coddling of drug lords

The raid signalled a shift in Duterte's drug war from running after street-level peddlers and users to powerful regional politicians and foreign drug traffickers.

Duterte has promised to name dozens of governors, mayors and other politicians he says are involved in the drug trade after identifying three police generals and two former police generals who were protecting drug traffickers.

Police said charges had been filed against another mayor from the southern island of Mindanao after he escaped from a police raid last week, when 16 people were arrested 1 million pesos ($21,263) worth of drugs were seized.

An alleged drug dealer and victim of a summary execution with his head wrapped in tape is examined by police on July 8, in Manila

Filipino police crime investigators gather evidence next to victims killed by unidentified gunmen in Manila, Philippines, during Duterte's war on illegal drugs

Close to 400 people have been killed in police operations against illegal drugs since Duterte was sworn in as president on June 30. Media and rights groups have put the figure almost twice as high at 770, including more than 200 killed by vigilante groups.