FACT CHECK: Trump’s sanctions on ICC judges not related to Duterte’s case

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The sanctions were imposed because of the ICC’s investigations into Israel and US accountability in Afghanistan, not Duterte’s crimes against humanity case

Claim: US President Donald Trump’s sanctions on judges of the International Criminal Court (ICC) will lead to the release of former Philippine president Rodrigo Duterte, who is currently detained over his crimes against humanity case.

Rating: FALSE

Why we fact-checked this: The YouTube video bearing the claim has garnered 179,00 views and 13,000 likes as of writing. The channel that posted it, “Pinas News Insider,” has 1.18 million subscribers.

“Wala na! Finish na? Pres Trump good news! Nasa ICC lumusob na? Eto na tatapos sa lahat! PRRD tagumpay?” the title of the video claims. 

(No more! It’s done? President Trump has good news! He’s at the ICC, attacking it? This is what will finish everything? PRRD wins?)

The thumbnail also implies that Duterte will soon be freed because of a “matinding utos (severe command).”

The video’s narrator then explains how Trump imposed sanctions on the ICC’s judges, causing trouble for the international court and Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. As supposed proof for its claims, the video includes a news report from Bilyonaryo News Channel explaining the sanctions as well as commentary from a pro-Duterte content creator.

The video then focuses on lawyer Harry Roque’s supposed legal remedy for Duterte’s case, but makes no further mention of the sanctions.

The facts: While it is true that Trump imposed sanctions on four ICC judges on June 5, they were prompted by the ICC’s decisions related to Israel and US troops in Afghanistan, not Duterte’s crimes against humanity charges.

As of writing, no media reports or updates from the ICC’s official website say that Duterte’s case has been halted because of the sanctions. In fact, the ICC has also said it “will continue its work undeterred” amid Trump’s order. (READ MORE: Will new US sanctions on ICC judges be felt in Duterte case?) 

The June 6 news report used in the video is also genuine, but it only pointed out that one of the four judges sanctioned by Trump is also a judge for Duterte’s case. The report does not say Trump ordered the sanctions for Duterte’s sake or that he will be freed because of them.

Trump’s sanctions on ICC judges: Trump imposed sanctions on the four ICC judges over the war tribunal’s issuance of an arrest warrant for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and a past decision to open a case into alleged war crimes by US troops in Afghanistan.

The ICC judges sanctioned by Trump’s administration are Solomy Balungi Bossa of Uganda, Luz del Carmen Ibanez Carranza of Peru, Reine Adelaide Sophie Alapini Gansou of Benin, and Beti Hohler of Slovenia. Gansou is also one of the judges in Duterte’s case.

“As ICC judges, these four individuals have actively engaged in the ICC’s illegitimate and baseless actions targeting America or our close ally, Israel,” US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said in a June 5 statement regarding the sanctions. He makes no mention of Duterte at any point in the statement or the attached fact sheet.

The ICC responded to the order by saying it was an attempt to undermine the judicial institution’s independence and efforts to provide justice for the victims of “unimaginable atrocities.”

Previous fact-checks: Since Duterte’s arrest in March, various false claims have circulated online related to his case. Rappler has debunked these false claims:

• FACT CHECK: No decision yet on Duterte’s interim release request 
• FACT CHECK: ‘News report’ of Duterte aboard a plane returning to PH is fake 
• FACT CHECK: ICC has not yet released Duterte to return to PH
• FACT CHECK: Duterte not back in PH with the help of Chiz Escudero
• FACT CHECK: ‘TV Patrol’ social media card claiming Duterte’s return to PH is fake           

– Shay Du/Rappler.com

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