Philippines leader Rodrigo Duterte has told his soldiers to shoot female rebels in the vagina instead of killing them because without one they 'would be useless'.

The 72-year-old President's remarks, made during a speech last week, have been condemned by a human rights group as 'misogynist, derogatory and demeaning'.

Duterte, who served as a city mayor before becoming President, said: 'Tell the soldiers, "there's a new order coming from the mayor. We won't kill you. We will just shoot your vagina".

Philippines leader Rodrigo Duterte (pictured) has told his soldiers to shoot female rebels in the vagina instead of killing them because without one they 'would be useless'

'If there is no vagina, it would be useless,' he added, according to local media.

Human Rights Watch slammed the comments, which related to female communist rebels in the country.

It said in a statement to Al Jazeera, that it was just the latest in a series of misogynist, derogatory and demeaning statements he has made about women'.

Carlos Conde, a Human Rights Watch representative in the Philippines, added: 'It encourages state forces to commit sexual violence during armed conflict, which is a violation of international humanitarian law.'

It is not the first time the firebrand leader has come underfire for his controversial remarks.

In May last year he 'joked' that his soldiers could rape women and he would go to prison for them as he rallied the troops against ISIS.

Duterte made the remark after imposing marital law as part of a clamp down on Maute terrorists, a move which drew heavy criticism, even from his allies.

The 72-year-old President's remarks, made during a speech last week, have been condemned by a human rights group as 'misogynist, derogatory and demeaning'

He told troops: 'For this martial law and the consequences of martial law and the ramifications of martial law, I and I alone would be responsible.

'Just do your work. I will handle the rest. I will be imprisoned for you. If you rape three (women), I will say that I did it.'

In 2016, while running for President, Duterte made a joke about the rape and murder of an Australian woman in the country in 1989.

In a reference to the brutal gang rape and murder of missionary Jacqueline Hamill at a Davao City jail, he said: 'When the bodies were brought out, they were wrapped. I looked at her face, son of a b***h, she looks like a beautiful American actress. Son of a b***h, what a waste.

'What came to mind was, they raped her, they lined up. I was angry because she was raped, that's one thing. But she was so beautiful, the mayor should have been first.'

He later apologised and said he did not intend to disrespect women or victims of sexual assault.