Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte backpedals on his claim to have thrown a man from a helicopter

It is a swift about-face from the gung-ho leader

Philippines' independent rights watchdog says it will investigate Mr Rodrigo's claims of killing people (Reuters)

Philippines president Rodrigo Duterte has backpedalled on his apparent admission that he once threw a kidnapper out of a helicopter in flight.

The outspoken leader, whose anti-drugs crackdown has seen thousands killed and who has boasted of personally killing three people while mayor of Davao city, made the claim after announcing up to £1.64m-worth of aid to areas affected by Typhoon Nina earlier this week.

But he has now said it never happened, telling reporters at a press conference that "your team knows I really want to say jokes", CNN reported.

Mr Duterte said: "We had no helicopter. We don't use that.

"I am playing you, I am really like that, your team knows I really want to say jokes.

"And you spent time writing about it, criticising, and that is your story, and you believe that."

He had said in a speech on Tuesday, referencing his time as mayor: "If you are corrupt I will fetch you with a helicopter and I will throw you out on the way to Manila.

"I have done that before, why should I not do it again?"

Mr Duterte said the killing happened when he was on the trail of kidnappers who abused their Chinese victim even after the ransom was paid.

Earlier this month he claimed he personally killed drug suspects in Davao because he wanted to show police officers “if I can do it, why can’t you”.

“In Davao I used to do it personally,” said the 71-year-old world leader.

“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.” Mr Duterte has repeatedly said those killings were part of legitimate police operations, including a hostage incident, and those killed were criminals, not suspects.

Since Mr Duterte took office in June, about 6,000 people have been killed by police, vigilantes, and mercenaries in the south-east Asian country - with Mr Duterte's government waging a 'war on drugs'.

UN human rights experts have repeatedly asked the Philippine government to address killings of drug users in the country since August.

In response, Mr Duterte has said he is considering taking the Philippines out of the UN, withdrawing from the International Criminal Court, and potentially ending a major pact with the US.

Last week he called the UN human rights chief Zeid Ra’ad al-Hussein an "idiot", in response to a suggestion by the diplomat that Mr Duterte be investigated for murder. He added he would "burn down the United Nations if you want".