FACT CHECK: Hong Kong video of Duterte misused to claim release from ICC detention

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Similar false claims saying former president Rodrigo Duterte has been released from the ICC Detention Centre have been debunked since May 2025

Claim: The International Criminal Court (ICC) has already released former president Rodrigo Duterte from detention. He is now back in the Philippines.

Rating: FALSE 

Why we fact-checked this: The 24-second Facebook reel, posted on May 12, 2025, has already gained 1.7 million views, 3,000 comments, and 2,800 shares as of writing. 

The text on the video says, “PRRD ICC release. Welcome back Tatay DU30. Nakabalik na si DU30 (PRRD ICC release. Welcome back Tatay DU30. DU30 is back).” 

It shows a clip of Duterte being welcomed by his supporters upon his entrance to an event. 

The facts: Duterte is still under ICC custody in The Hague, Netherlands, facing charges for crimes against humanity due to his war on drugs. 

The clip shown in the post has been reposted multiple times by various supporters of Duterte, making it difficult to track the original owner of the video. However, the attire worn by the former president in the false post is similar to the one he used when he arrived at an event in Hong Kong on March 9, 2025. 

In the video bearing the false claim, a man can be heard talking into a microphone while Duterte was walking towards the stage. “Maraming salamat din kay Pastor Apollo C. Quiboloy sa kaniyang […] pagsuporta sa [mga] Duterte (Many thanks also to Pastor Apollo C. Quiboloy for his support of the Dutertes),” the audio says. 

In the ‘Pasasalamat kay PRRD with OFWs’ event in Hong Kong, it was Senator Robin Padilla who announced Duterte’s arrival to the audience. 

From Hong Kong to The Hague: Upon Duterte’s return from Hong Kong, an ICC warrant of arrest greeted him at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminal 3. He was then arrested for crimes against humanity and was sent to The Hague, Netherlands. 

Duterte is currently staying in The Hague and waiting for his confirmation of charges hearing on September 23, 2025. A recent development in his case is the rejection by the ICC of his camp’s request to remove two judges to avoid alleged bias. 

The ICC judges asserted that they are professionals and “fully mindful” of the provisions of the Rome Statute and the Code of Judicial Ethics. 

Despite being detained, Duterte was still able to win as mayor in his hometown Davao City in the midterm elections.

Previous fact checks: Rappler has already fact-checked similar claims about Duterte being released from detention: 

• FACT CHECK: Duterte not released from ICC detention 
• FACT CHECK: Duterte not back in Davao, still detained at the ICC
• FACT CHECK: Ex-president Duterte not set to return to PH from ICC

– Angelee Kaye Abelinde/Rappler.com

Angelee Kaye Abelinde, a campus journalist from Naga City, is a second-year Journalism student of Bicol University and the current copy editor of The Bicol Universitarian. She is a graduate of the Aries Rufo Journalism Fellowship of Rappler for 2024. 

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