Philippines president Duterte admits to killing criminal suspects

The president of the Philippines Rodrigo Duterte has openly admitted that he has killed people on the streets of the country during his time as a provincial mayor.

Duterte has waged a violent campaign against the country's drug problems since taking office in a landslide victory in May of this year. Although figures vary, as many as 6,000 people are said to have been killed by security forces since he launched his war on drugs.

Now the president has made the admission that he personally killed suspected criminals in his time as mayor of Davao, a position he held for two decades.

"In Davao I used to do it personally. Just to show to the guys [police] that if I can do it why can't you," Duterte told business leaders at the presidential palace on Monday.

"And I'd go around in Davao with a motorcycle, with a big bike around, and I would just patrol the streets, looking for trouble also. I was really looking for a confrontation so I could kill."

Duterte is a hugely popular figure among Filipinos, with a high number of citizens impressed with his tough attitude towards crime.

He has also been quick to dismiss the country's previously strong relationship with the United States, with frequent hostile comments this year towards the country. In October he announced a "separation" between the Philippines and the US, as well as referring to Barack Obama as a "son of a whore".