MANILA - Chief Insp. Jovie Espenido, police chief of Ozamiz City, told local politicians to simply step down from their posts to "extend" their lives.

"The better, mag-resign para ma-extend yung buhay na nasa labas ka. Hindi naman sinabing mamatay. Yung sa atin, ma-extend yung buhay mo na free ka, wala kang problema. Yun lang, para matapos na ang problema," he said in an interview with ANC's Headstart aired on Friday.

(It would be better if you just resign to extend your life outside. I don't mean that they would die. For me, it's to extend your life as a free man, without problems. That's it, to stop the problems.)

"Paanong masabi nating mahawakan natin yang isang bayan na yan, na bigyan mo ng karapat-dapat kung ikaw involved sa drugs?," he added.

(How can you lead a town that deserves service if you are involved in drugs?)

Espenido said he would want to be assigned to Iloilo next if God wills it.

"Gusto ko kasi yung extreme na mayor, yung para bang pinaka-kritikal na mayor para masubukan ko kung ang Panginoon ko, makaya ba doon," he said.

Four mayors from Iloilo were among the dozens of politicians President Rodrigo Duterte alleged were involved in the drug trade. Iloilo City Mayor Jed Mabilog and Mayor Sigfredo Betita of Carles, Iloilo have denied the accusation.