The crazy life of Rodrigo Duterte - the Filipino President who claims to have thrown an enemy out of a helicopter

"F--- you." "Son of a b----." "I will fetch you using a helicopter... and I will throw you out."

These aren't phrases you'd usually associate with a head of state. But they are commonplace in the impassioned vitriols of President of the Philippines, Rodrigo Duterte.

Duterte is famed for his extremely violent war on drugs in his home country, which has earned him the nicknames "Duterte Harry" and "The Punisher." Al Jazeera's most recent estimates put the drug war death toll at around 6,000.

Despite the brutality, Duterte's popularity in his home county has soared, with an independent poll taken in October last year reporting that just 11% are "dissatisfied" with his leadership.

Here, we track the foul-mouthed leader's ascent to power, through an illuminating package of Reuters photos. Scroll on to read Duterte's story.