FACT CHECK: Duterte not set to be released amid US push to dismantle ICC

While the United States has called on countries to withdraw support for the international tribunal, former Philippine president Rodrigo Duterte remains detained at The Hague, with his trial scheduled to start in November Claim: Former president Rodrigo Duterte is set to be released following the United States’ vows to dismantle the International Criminal Court (ICC). Rating: FALSE Why we fact-checked this: The video was posted on July 15 by the YouTube channel “PINAS NEWS PORTAL,” which has a subscriber count of more than 27,000. The video has reached more than 2,900 views and 400 likes as of writing. Its thumbnail claimed that the international tribunal was flustered by US President Donald Trump’s remarks vowing to dismantle the ICC. Text on the thumbnail reads, “PRRD lalaya na! Good news! Ito na tatapos sa lahat! Big surprise! Yare ka Marcos!” ([President Rodrigo Roa Duterte] will be released! Good news! This will bring an end to everything! Big surprise! Marcos, you’re in trouble!) Social media users thanked the US president and were excited about Duterte’s supposed homecoming. Others wanted to expedite the process of the former president’s return. The facts: Duterte is not set to be released. There is no such announcement issued by the international tribunal. The former strongman was arrested on March 11, 2025, at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport and remains detained under ICC custody at The Hague, Netherlands, for crimes against humanity due to his alleged involvement in the killings during his administration’s campaign against illegal drugs and the Davao Death Squad. The ICC has also confirmed the charges against Duterte on April 23, 2026. The charges include three counts of crimes against humanity of murder, covering 49 incidents of killings and 78 victims. His trial is slated to begin on November 30. US vows to dismantle ICC: On July 13, the US State Department, through Secretary of State Marco Rubio, launched a campaign to dismantle the ICC over “threats to American sovereignty.” The Trump administration also plans to pressure its allies to resist ICC actions and impose penalties on countries that cooperate with the court. Legal experts warn that the court is facing a grave crisis following the US’ announcement that it would employ a “whole-of-government response to systematically disable the ICC’s ability to operate, target American servicemen or officials, or otherwise threaten American sovereignty.” The US, which is not a state party to the Rome Statute establishing the ICC, has long been at odds with the tribunal. Its campaign against the court escalated following the ICC’s November 2024 issuance of arrest warrants against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former defense minister Yoav Gallant for alleged war crimes. Trump then sanctioned the ICC in February 2025 by blocking assets and suspending entry into the US of ICC officials, employees, and agents. In June 2025, the Trump administration imposed sanctions on four judges it accused of taking “illegitimate and baseless actions” against the US and its allies. Last month, three ICC judges sued Trump over these sanctions. – Lourence Angelo Marcellana/Rappler.com Keep us aware of suspicious Facebook pages, groups, accounts, websites, articles, or photos in your network by contacting us at factcheck@rappler.com. Let us battle disinformation one Fact Check at a time. How does this make you feel? Loading