A shaman claims he can cure cancer using a ‘miracle snake venom.'

Witchdoctor Rosalio Cusit Jr or Datu Kamandag uses ‘dupong' or venomous green pit vipers to treat illnesses in Surigao del Sur province, the Philippines.

The Datu - a highly revered title among native Filipinos - catches the snakes from a forest near his home and makes the serpent bite directly into a sick patient.

Footage shows the traditional healer talking about how he discovered the power of snake venoms.

Rosalio said: ‘I was the first patient of this miracle snake venom, so I know it works. It saved my life, and I hope to save others too.

Rosalio said he was bitten by a viper while gathering food from the mountains 28 years ago in 1994.

He said: ‘We were looking for sweet potatoes, banana, and fruit trees. We rested on wood, but I didn't notice the green snake. It bit me.

'The bite was so painful I could not walk for three days. I knew I was going to die because I was diabetic.'

However, after three days, the diabetic old man woke up feeling fine. He also went to a health centre to check his blood sugar and was baffled as it normalised.

Rosalio said: ‘I don't know what happened, but I had a feeling that it was the snake that cured me.'

After telling the story to his friends, some asked if he could also treat them using snake bites as their community is kilometres away from the hospital. He reportedly had successful results until word came out of the small village, and more people trekked the mountains to reach his home.

Rosalio said: ‘I have proven that my snake venom treatment is effective. I hope more people would realise its potential.'