Dozens of Philippine government and police officials turned themselves in yesterday, a day after president Rodrigo Duterte linked them to the drugs trade, stepping up a war on narcotics that has killed hundreds since he took office in June.

The bodies of dozens of suspected drug peddlers have turned up in the Philippines in recent weeks, providing an eerie backdrop to the swearing-in yesterday of Rodrigo Duterte, who warns of a bloody presidency in his bid to eradicate crime.

Millions of Filipinos lined up in blazing heat to elect a new president in a race whose front-runner is a brash mayor known for his sex jokes, pledges to kill criminals and a promise to end corruption within six months.