MANILA - President Rodrigo Duterte on Thursday slammed urban poor group Kadamay after its members attempted to occupy homes in Rodriguez, Rizal, directing police to "kill if necessary" to enforce regulations if such incident happens again.

The President ordered Kadamay members to leave housing units intended for police officers and soldiers at the La Solidaridad-Avilon Zoo housing project, although reports indicate that the protesters had already dispersed on Wednesday and failed to take over homes.

Duterte said he would not hesitate to order police to undertake a violent dispersal if similar incidents happened again.

“Sabi ko sa pulis kunin niyo ulit. Kung gusto niyo ng away sabihin ko sa pulis, bigyan mo ng away… Kung kailangan pumatay kayo para i-implement ang legal na regulation, gawin niyo,” Duterte said in a speech in Laguna.

(I told police to take them back. If they want a fight, I told police to give them a fight... If they need to kill to implement a legal regulation, do it.)

Members of the Kadamay local chapter Montalban Homeless Association trooped to the La Solidaridad-Avilon Zoo housing project on Wednesday supposedly to occupy idle housing units, but they dispersed later in the afternoon.

The group said they were only asserting their rights based on Congressional Joint Resolution No. 2, signed by Duterte last May, which allows the awarding of unoccupied housing units to other qualified beneficiaries.

• Duterte OKs awarding of unoccupied housing units

The President also vented his anger at leftist militants, including those who burn his pictures and effigies in his likeness in various rallies, and those who heckled him at the Independence Day rites earlier this week.

“Mukha ko sinusunog niyo tapos maghingi ka sa akin ng bahay?P***** i** niyo gawin niyo iyan pero huwag kayong maghingi ng tulong sa akin,” he said.

(You burn my face up then you ask me for a house? Go ahead and do that but don't ask for my help.)

The President said Kadamay’s takeover of housing units in Bulacan last year should not happen again.

Duterte had allowed Kadamay members to keep the Bulacan housing units and promised police officers and soldiers of bigger and better homes.

• Duterte lets Kadamay have Bulacan homes

The Department of Budget and Management said P20.779 billion was released to fund housing projects for police officers, soldiers, and other uniformed personnel as of March 31, 2017. The budget was allocated for the construction of 74,195 housing units.

The NHA said of this number, 68,836 was already completed as of July 31, 2017. Of the completed units, only 8,837 are occupied.