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Duterte, who waged a war on drugs that killed thousands of users and peddlers, did not name the candidate, nor provide evidence to support his allegation, but said he was "a very weak leader".

Dozens of people have registered to run for president in next year's polls. Duterte, 76, is not eligible for re-election due to the constitution's one-term limit.

"We have a candidate using cocaine," Duterte said in a speech in the province of Oriental Mindoro.

"That is why I am wondering, 'What has this person done? What contribution has he made for the Philippines?"

"Why are the Filipinos crazy supporting ... I am just asking," said Duterte, who will run for a seat in the senate next year.

Reuters asked Duterte's acting spokesperson, Karlo Nograles, who the president was referring to and for more details, but received no immediate response.

"He is a very weak leader," the outspoken Duterte said of the unnamed candidate. "He might win hands down. If that is what the Filipino wants, go ahead," he said in the speech, confirmed by a transcript provided by his office.

"I am not making intrigues. It is up to you. Find out who."

In the same speech he praised his chosen successor and longtime aide, Christopher "Bong" Go, a senator who is seeking the presidency.

Other prominent presidential candidates include senator and retired boxing icon Manny Pacquiao, Vice President Leni Robredo, Manila mayor Francisco Domagoso, senator and former police chief Panfilio Lacson, and Ferdinand Marcos Jr, son and namesake of the late Philippines dictator, whose running mate is Duterte's daughter, Sara Duterte-Carpio.(Reuters)

Japan plans record defence spending in an extra budget expected to be announced along with an economic stimulus package on Friday as former prime minister Shinzo Abe called for a "new level" of defence cooperation with ally Australia.

The developments come as Japan and Western allies including the United States, Britain and Australia respond to increased Chinese militarisation in Asia-Pacific.

Japan plans to allocate more than 700 billion yen ($6.12 billion) for defence in a supplementary budget that will form a part of the economic stimulus package to be announced on Friday by Prime Minister Fumio Kishida's government, according to two government and ruling coalition sources who declined to be identified because the plan is not public.

That amount is up about 50% from the previous high, logged in fiscal 2018, in terms of annual defence spending allocated in extra budgets, the Nikkei business daily said.

Part of the defence spending in the extra budget will be earmarked for patrol planes, transport aircraft and mines, the sources said.

The supplementary allocation is likely to take the total defence budget for the fiscal year to March 2022 to more than 6 trillion yen, as the initial defence budget was 5.34 trillion yen.

Japan has long committed to keeping its military budgets within 1% of gross domestic product (GDP), a number that has eased concern at home and abroad about any revival of the militarism that led it into World War Two.

But with concern growing about China's military in the disputed East China Sea, the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) included a goal of spending 2% of GDP or more on the military in its policy platform ahead of an election held on Oct 31.

Japan's defence ministry wants money for an indigenous stealth fighter and missiles that can travel more than 1,000 km(621 miles), among others, while the country is also building up cyber, space and electromagnetic warfare capabilities.

Japan is also aiming to strengthen ties with allies and friendly nations such as Australia, a point that Abe - who resigned last year but remains influential in the LDP - made on Friday while taking part in an online seminar organised by an Australian think tank. 

"Given the regional security environment which has become increasingly severe, there is a need to elevate Japan-Australia bilateral security and defence cooperation to a new level," he said in a speech for the event, also addressed by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Abe said Japan should cooperate with the AUKUS security partners - the United States, Britain and Australia - on artificial intelligence, cyber capabilities and quantum technologies. The AUKUS pact is widely seen as a response to Chinese militarisation in the region.(Reuters)

NATO is ready to further support allies affected by the Belarus migrant crisis, Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said on Friday, calling the situation on the border with Poland, Lithuania and Latvia deeply concerning.

"We remain vigilant and stand ready to further help our allies," Stoltenberg told reporters on a visit to Berlin.

"Belarusian President Alexander) Lukashenko's regime's use of vulnerable people as a means to put pressure on other countries is cynical and inhumane. NATO stands in full solidarity with all affected allies."(Reuters)

The office of Philippines leader Rodrigo Duterte declined to disclose the identity on Friday of an election candidate accused by the president of using cocaine, shifting the onus back to Duterte to name the individual himself.

Duterte, who waged a war on drugs that killed thousands of users and peddlers, on Thursday said a cocaine user was among the candidates seeking to succeed him next year, but did not name them, or cite evidence.

The issue was a hit on Philippines social media on Friday, with speculation on the mystery candidate running wild, including under the hashtag #solidsnort.

"On naming the said individual, we will leave it to the sound judgment of the president," his acting spokesperson Karlo Nograles told a regular news conference.

Nograles said police knew their mandate on illicit drugs, which they equally apply.

"If a person violated the law then that person should be arrested and prosecuted immediately," he said.

A police spokesperson said they had no idea who the president was referring to.

Duterte's speech was a departure from previous times when he would publicly identify politicians he accused of involvement in illegal drugs, some of whom were later killed.

In Thursday's speech, Duterte, 76, who is barred by the constitution from seeking a second term, described the unnamed candidate as a "very weak leader" and someone who "might win hands down."

Dozens of people have registered to run for president, the most prominent of which are boxing icon Manny Pacquiao, Vice President Leni Robredo, Manila mayor Francisco Domagoso, Senator Panfilio Lacson, Duterte's closest aide Christopher Go, and Ferdinand Marcos Jr, son and namesake of the late dictator, whose running mate is Duterte's daughter.

Taking questions from media on Friday, the election commission said substance abuse was not grounds for disqualifying candidates.

Pacquiao on Friday said he supported drug testing candidates.(Reuters)