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Duterte will release the names of "police officers, politicians (and) prosecutors" who have ties to the illegal drug trade, national police Chief Ronald Dela Rosa told CNN's Ivan Watson.
The President is the only one who knows when the list will be made public, or how many names are on it, Dela Rosa said.
"Either they are drug lords themselves or are drug protectors," he said.
He added the list is based on "pure" intelligence reports validated by intelligence units of the Philippines national police, the nation's drug enforcement agency and the country's military.
Duterte, who took office at the end of June, has aggressively pursued an anti-crime agenda -- with a special focus on ridding the country of illegal drugs.
Drugs threat to national security
Dela Rosa says he and the President consider drugs to be the "number one" threat to national security.
Dela Rosa said he agrees it contradicts the principle that a suspect is innocent until proven guilty, but the President feels it is his "duty" to inform the public of the identities of corrupt officials.
Judge dead for years on list
Dela Rosa said even though the intelligence appeared to include at least one long-dead official, the judge belonged on the list because of his past crimes.
He said he could vouch for the national police intelligence, but not that of other agencies.
'Kill list'
Dela Rosa is due to appear before the country's senate next week for hearings on the spate of killings. He said 600 people have been killed by police during "legitimate drug operations."
Hundreds of thousands more users have voluntarily registered with their local neighborhood councils under an informal policy implemented nationwide by Dela Rosa, who was appointed by Duterte in July after the new administration assumed office.
Critics of the crackdown say the civil liberties of those surrendering are being ignored, and the policy amounts to a de facto arrest that targets poor Filipinos. Dela Rosa argues the policy does not violate citizens' rights.
Duterte enjoys incredibly high approval ratings — 91% in one July poll. Dela Rosa attributes the high ratings to ordinary Filipinos' frustration with high crime rates and his tough stance on the issue.