Duterte ‘homecoming’ video misuses outdated clip by daughter Kitty

The video clip was used to falsely declare that Duterte has been launched and is again residence. Opposite to the declare, the previous president stays detained in The Hague.

Declare: Former president Rodrigo Duterte has returned residence to the Philippines, as proven in a video of himself together with his daughter, Veronica “Kitty” Duterte.

Score: FALSE

Why we fact-checked this: The TikTok video containing the declare has 1.3 million views, 33,400 likes, and 760 shares as of writing. 

The video reveals Kitty Duterte, who then pans the digicam to her sleeping father. Textual content overlaid on the video reads, “Welcome residence, tatay. Lalaban tayo ulit para sa Pinas.”

(Welcome residence, Dad. We’ll struggle for the Philippines once more.)

The caption by TikTok person “letmacuz” states, “Ayoko sana ipost na nakauwi na si Lolo Digz #surprisedpinas” 

(I didn’t wish to publish that Grandpa Digz is already residence #surprisedpinas)

The info: Duterte has not returned to the Philippines. The clip used within the publish was from an outdated video taken by Kitty, which had the caption “miss you, my favourite sleepyhead.” The TikTok publish added the textual content “Welcome residence” to falsely declare that the previous president had been launched.

Since his arrest on March 11, 2025, for crimes towards humanity expenses linked to his bloody warfare on medicine, Duterte has been detained at Scheveningen Jail in The Hague beneath the jurisdiction of the Worldwide Felony Court docket (ICC). 

On September 22, the ICC Workplace of the Prosecutor charged Duterte with three counts of widespread homicide involving 78 victims in 49 incidents, representing the systemic killings beneath Duterte’s drug warfare. 

The counts embody Davao Dying Squad killings carried out when Duterte was mayor (2013-2016), murders of high-value targets throughout Duterte’s presidency (2016-2017), and Oplan Tokhang killings in barangay clearance operations (2016-2018). (READ: ICC prosecutors cost Duterte with 3 counts of widespread homicide)

Postponed listening to: The fees have been initially scheduled to be heard within the affirmation of expenses listening to on September 23, however the ICC indefinitely postponed this listening to. The transfer adopted a movement by Duterte’s legal professionals that the previous president was “unfit to face trial” as a consequence of a “progressively deteriorating” cognitive situation that allegedly prevents him from recalling occasions, understanding proof, and giving directions to his authorized workforce. 

The ICC judges voted 2–1 to postpone the listening to, although a dissenting choose maintained that assessing health to face trial is finally the accountability of the trial chamber.

The prosecution and the ICC Workplace of the Public Counsel for Victims have opposed the postponement. Victims’ lawyer Kristina Conti argued that Duterte might have counsel symbolize him, and described the protection’s claims as a attainable tactic to delay accountability.

Interim launch request: In the meantime, Duterte’s authorized workforce has a pending request for interim launch on humanitarian grounds, proposing that he be quickly transferred to a 3rd nation beneath ICC-imposed restrictions. 

The ICC Workplace of the Prosecutor strongly opposed the request, arguing that Duterte poses a flight danger, has a historical past of threats towards court docket personnel, and will intimidate witnesses if launched.

On September 22, Vice President Sara Duterte mentioned one international state had already agreed to simply accept her father if the interim launch plea is authorised, although she didn’t disclose the nation.

Debunked: Rappler has beforehand debunked comparable posts falsely claiming that Duterte had already been launched from ICC custody:

 – Marjuice Destinado/Rappler.com

Marjuice Destinado is a senior political science scholar at Cebu Regular College (CNU). An Aries Rufo Journalism Fellow of Rappler for 2025, she can also be the characteristic editor of Ang Suga, CNU’s official scholar publication.

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