Filipino president Rodrigo Duterte is looking to combat piracy in southeast Asia — apparently including giving the country's Navy the go-ahead to kill pirates on sight.

Speaking over the weekend, the bellicose head of state said he had spoken with his counterparts in Malaysia and Indonesia about the need to combat piracy in the Sulu and Celebes seas.

He said the crime of piracy "gives any nation the right to blow you to the high heavens," according to the Manila-based Daily Tribune.

"And my orders to the Navy — I repeat, my orders to the Navy — is that if they are positive that they are pirates, you blow them to kingdom come. You kill them all, so that my problem will be finished," Duterte reportedly said.

The two bodies of water, to the south of the Philippines and separated by a string of islands, together make up one of three piracy "danger zones" in in the region.

While piracy is down overall, the threat of kidnapping in the seas "is still high", according to the Regional Cooperation Agreement on Combating Piracy and Armed Robbery against Ships in Asia (ReCAAP).

In incidents in June and September, a total of 78 seafarers were kidnapped, 65 were released, 10 were killed and three remain captured.

ReCAAP advised ships to avoid the area if possible.

"Otherwise, ship masters and crew are strongly urged to exercise extra vigilance while transiting the area, and report immediately to the Operation Centres of Philippines and Eastern Sabah Security Command (ESSCOM) of Malaysia," the agency said.

Duterte said he had spoken with Indonesian president Joko Widodo and Malaysian prime minister Mahathir bin Mohamad to create a regional task force to combat piracy in the region.

"I said it’s high time that we form a task force, not really intruding into the waters of other countries, but just patrol your areas incessantly and accurately," he said.

"And I will do my share in the Sulu Sea."