Philippines' president-elect Rodrigo Duterte has vowed to follow through on security forces "shoot-to-kill" orders and the reintroduction of capital punishment in a devastating war on crime.

Key points: President-elect pledges to restore death by hanging

President-elect pledges to restore death by hanging Vows to ban children on streets at night, would arrest parents for "abandonment"

Vows to ban children on streets at night, would arrest parents for "abandonment" Cancels planned trip to apologise to Pope, sends letter instead

In his first press conference since winning the May 9 elections in a landslide, the tough-talking mayor of southern Davao city warned his campaign threats to kill were not rhetoric.

He said he would give security forces "shoot-to-kill" orders against organised criminals, or those who violently resisted arrest.

"If you resist, show violent resistance, my order to police [will be] to shoot-to-kill," Mr Duterte, 71, told a press conference in Davao.

"Shoot-to-kill for organised crime. You heard that? Shoot-to-kill for every organised crime."

He said military sharp-shooters would be enlisted in his campaign to kill criminals.

Mr Duterte said he wanted capital punishment — which was abolished in 2006 under then-president Gloria Arroyo — to be reintroduced for a wide range of crimes, particularly drugs, but also rape, murder and robbery.

"What I will do is urge Congress to restore [the] death penalty by hanging," he said.

Mr Duterte also vowed to introduce a 2:00am curfew on drinking in public places, and a ban on children from walking the streets alone late at night.

If children were picked up on the streets, Mr Duterte said, their parents would be arrested and thrown into jail for "abandonment".

'I will kill you', Duterte warns criminals

The centrepiece of Mr Duterte's stunningly successful election campaign strategy was a pledge to end crime within three to six months of being elected.

He complained on Sunday that people no longer feared the law, and he would change that.

Sorry, this video has expired Anti-establishment firebrand Rodrigo Duterte claims huge win in Philippine election

"We have a society now where obedience to the law is really a choice, an option only," Mr Duterte said.

"Do not destroy my country because I will kill you. I will kill you. No middle-ground.

"As long as the requirements of the law are there, if you try to evade arrest, refuse arrest ... and you put up a good fight or resist violently, I will say: 'kill them'."

The president-elect made international headlines during the election campaign for branding Pope Francis a "son of a whore".

After scorching criticism in the mainly Catholic nation, Mr Duterte said he would visit the Vatican to make a personal apology, but on Sunday reneged on that pledge.

"No more. That's enough," Mr Duterte said when asked about the planned trip, pointing out he had already sent a letter of apology to the Pope.

He said the trip "could be an exercise in duplicity", as he complained that some Catholic leaders in the Philippines indicated he may not have been forgiven.

Call for friendly China ties

At the press conference, Mr Duterte said he wanted friendly relations with China and confirmed he was open to direct talks over a territorial row that has badly damaged bilateral ties.

He also announced that China's ambassador to Manila would be among the first three foreign envoys he planned to meet on Monday.

"I would rather be friendly with everybody," Mr Duterte told reporters when asked whether he wanted closer ties than seen under current President Benigno Aquino.

In 2012, China took control of Scarborough Shoal, a rich fishing area within the Philippines' economic exclusive zone of the South China Sea.

The Aquino administration refused to hold direct talks, but Mr Duterte repeated a campaign pledge to hold direct talks with China if other negotiations failed.

"If the ship of negotiation is in still waters and there's no wind to push the sail, I might just decide to talk bilaterally with China," he said.

AFP