ICC ruling on Duterte waiver misrepresented as resolution on his launch

The choice issued by the ICC granted Duterte’s request to skip his affirmation of prices listening to, not his launch from detention

Declare: The Worldwide Prison Courtroom (ICC) has issued a ruling for the discharge of detained former president Rodrigo Duterte.

Score: FALSE 

Why we fact-checked this: The publish has already acquired 15,000 reactions, 5,900 feedback, and 510 shares as of writing. It was posted on February 21, after the ICC issued a resolution permitting Duterte to skip his affirmation of prices set to begin on February 23. 

The publish reveals a photograph of Duterte with the textual content, “ICC umatras na! PRRD pinayagan na! Buong mundo nabigla!”

(ICC has withdrawn! [President Rodrigo Roa Duterte] has been allowed! The entire world is shocked!)

It additionally contains a picture of ICC President Tomoko Akane, together with Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., Vice President Sara Duterte,  Ombudsman Jesus Crispin Remulla, Protection Secretary Gilbert Teodoro, and Inside Secretary Jonvic Remulla. 

Textual content seen on the decrease a part of the composite picture reads, “Mga judges bumigay na! Uuwi na si PRRD?”

(The judges have given up! Will PRRD go residence?)

The details: The ICC has not issued any order for Duterte’s launch. The resolution issued by the ICC Pre-Trial Chamber I, dated February 20, 2026, granted the previous president’s request to skip his affirmation of prices listening to, not his launch from detention. 

Duterte’s pre-trial hearings are scheduled on February 23, 24, 26, and 27. Whereas the ICC allowed his absence from the proceedings, the previous president continues to be at present detained on the ICC detention facility in The Hague, Netherlands. 

Waiver request: In a letter submitted to the ICC pre-trial chamber on February 18, Duterte requested to waive his proper to attend his affirmation of prices listening to, saying he’s “previous, drained, and frail” and that he doesn’t acknowledge the chamber’s jurisdiction. (READ: HIGHLIGHTS: Day 1 of Duterte pre-trial)

ICC prosecutors opposed Duterte’s plea to waive his proper to face the fees in opposition to him, saying that there was no affordable trigger for the previous president to not seem in individual on the court docket. 

In a choice issued on February 20, the ICC Pre-Trial Chamber I allowed Duterte to skip the listening to, however clarified that this was not on account of causes of well being however due to his signed waiver. 

The chamber cited Article 61(2)(a) of the Rome Statute, which states that the pre-trial chamber could maintain a listening to within the absence of the individual charged when the individual has waived his or her proper to be current. 

The affirmation of prices listening to was beforehand scheduled in September 2025, however was delayed after Duterte’s legal professionals claimed that he had a “deteriorating cognitive situation” that made him unfit to take part within the proceedings. 

In a January 2026 resolution, ICC judges declared Duterte match for pre-trial following impartial assessments by medical consultants.

ICC arrest: Duterte was arrested in March 2025 and was despatched to the ICC in The Hague, Netherlands, to face prices of crimes in opposition to humanity over his administration’s conflict on medication. 

The marketing campaign reportedly killed over 30,000 people, together with civilians and kids, in line with human rights watchdogs. 

Earlier reality checks: Rappler has beforehand debunked related false claims about Duterte’s ICC case: 

– Angelee Kaye Abelinde/Rappler.com 

Angelee Kaye Abelinde is a scholar journalist based mostly in Naga Metropolis, and an alumna of Rappler’s Aries Rufo Journalism Fellowship 2024. 

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