Rodrigo Duterte has ordered police to kill his eldest son if drug trafficking allegations against him are proven true.

The Philippine President added he would make sure those who carried out the execution would be protected from prosecution.

The 72-year-old, speaking to government workers at the presidential palace in Manila, insisted death would be the result for any of his children involved in drugs.

"I said before my order was: ’If I have children who are into drugs, kill them so people will not have anything to say’,” he said.

"So I told Pulong (his son’s nickname): ’My order is to kill you if you are caught, and I will protect the police who kill you, if it is true’.”

Paulo Duterte appeared before a Senate inquiry earlier this month to deny links to a seized shipment of $125m (£93m) worth of crystal methamphetamine from China.

Opponents of his father, who has begun a brutal crackdown on the drugs trade, say they believe the 42-year-old may have helped ease the entry of the shipment into Manila.

Duterte: Police can kill “idiots” who resist arrest

Senator Antonio Trillanes, a staunch critic of the President, told the Senate panel he had intelligence that Mr Duterte was a member of a criminal gang, citing a “dragon-like” tattoo with secret digits on his back.

Mr Duterte admitted he had a tattoo, but refused to describe it and told the panel there was “no way” he would allow a photo to be taken and sent to the US Drug Enforcement Agency for decoding.

Presidential spokesman, Ernesto Abella, said the presence of the younger Duterte showed he was “willing and ready to face malicious allegations” intended to impugn his “character and credibility”.

The most controversial quotes from Rodrigo Duterte Show all 9 1 /9 The most controversial quotes from Rodrigo Duterte The most controversial quotes from Rodrigo Duterte On killing drug addicts “These sons of whores are destroying our children. I warn you, don’t go into that, even if you’re a policeman, because I will really kill you. If you know of any addicts, go ahead and kill them yourself as getting their parents to do it would be too painful” The most controversial quotes from Rodrigo Duterte Message to China “I will go there on my own with a Jet Ski, bringing along with me a [Phillipino] flag and a pole, and once I disembark, I will plant the flag on the runway and tell the Chinese authorities, ‘Kill me’ ” AP The most controversial quotes from Rodrigo Duterte Christmas message to law-breakers “If you do not want to stop, and just continue committing crimes, then this would be your last Merry Christmas” AP The most controversial quotes from Rodrigo Duterte On sex life “I was separated from my wife. I’m not impotent. What am I supposed to do? Let this hang forever? When I take Viagra, it stands up” AFP/Getty Images The most controversial quotes from Rodrigo Duterte On the drugs trade “None of my children are into illegal drugs. But my order is, even if it is a member of my family, ‘kill him'" AP The most controversial quotes from Rodrigo Duterte Insulting the Pope “We were affected by the traffic. It took us five hours. I asked why, they said it was closed. I asked who is coming. They answered, the pope. I wanted to call him: ‘Pope, son of a wh**e, go home. Do not visit us again’” AFP/Getty Images The most controversial quotes from Rodrigo Duterte Joke about rape “I saw her face and I thought, 'What a pity... they raped her, they all lined up. I was mad she was raped but she was so beautiful. I thought, the mayor should have been first” AFP/Getty The most controversial quotes from Rodrigo Duterte Insulting Barack Obama "Mr Obama should be respectful and refrain from throwing questions at me about the killings, or son of a bitch, I will swear at you in that forum" REUTERS The most controversial quotes from Rodrigo Duterte On Abu Sayyaf Islamic militants "If I have to face them, you know I can eat humans. I will really open up your body. Just give me vinegar and salt, and I will eat you. If you annoy me to the fullest... I will eat you alive. Raw" EPA

Since Mr Duterte’s election on 30 June last year, police records show more than 3,800 people have died in anti-drug operations, with more than 2,100 separate murders linked to drugs.