Inside Filipino 'cult' that hacks members with machetes to give them 'bulletproof powers'

A controversial Filipino 'cult' claims to grant devotees 'bulletproof powers' - by hacking them with machetes but miraculously not drawing blood.



New footage shows a member of the religious sect called 'Iron King' performing a bloodless but agonising initiation ritual, which is believed to ward off evil spirits, cure illness and bless members with superhuman protection.



The organisation, known locally as Haring Bakal, banded together to combat a Muslim insurgency in the 1970s with tales of fearless fighters charging into hand-to-hand combat with armed troops.



Now, Haring Bakal has found a foothold in the primarily Catholic nation with roughly 100 members in total including policeman and soldiers who have reportedly joined for their own safety - despite the group being labelled a cult.