Philippine police shoot dead six bodyguards at mayor's house in war on drugs - but his 'drug lord' son is still on the run...

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.

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. Full story...

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