FACT CHECK: Video saying Duterte will be released in July 2026 is fake, AI-generated

Duterte remains detained, with his full trial set to begin in November. There is also no official announcement from the ICC confirming his supposed release this July. Claim: A video shows a news report about former president Rodrigo Duterte’s release this July 2026. Rating: FALSE Why we fact-checked this: The video posted on July 26 has already received 54,900 reactions, 9,600 shares, and 5,200 comments as of writing. The news reporter can be heard saying, “Mainit-init pang balita, PRRD makakauwi na sa Pilipinas ngayong buwan ng Hulyo 2026. Mga loyalista, iyak. Mga DDS, magdidiwang tayo sa pagbabalik ni Tatay Digong.” (Breaking news: [President Rodrigo Roa Duterte] is set to return to the Philippines this July 2026. Loyalists, you’re going to cry. [Duterte diehard supporters], let us celebrate the return of Father Digong.) Many social media users believe the supposed news to be real. One comment reads, “Salamat makakauwi na si Tatay Digong, tuloy ang laban.” (Thank you, Father Digong can finally come home. The fight continues). The facts: The video is AI-generated. Hive Detect flagged the video as 99.9% likely to contain AI-generated content, while Undetectable AI labeled the video as AI-generated with 94% confidence. The video did not put any disclaimer that it was generated using AI tools, misleading social media users. There is also no official announcement from the International Criminal Court (ICC) confirming that Duterte is set to be released this July 2026. The former president remains detained in the ICC facility in The Hague, Netherlands, awaiting the start of his full trial scheduled to begin in November. Dismantling ICC: The AI-generated video circulated after the US announced its campaign to dismantle the ICC, citing its alleged threat to American sovereignty. In a press release on July 13, the US State Department said, “The campaign will feature a whole-of-government response to systematically disable the ICC’s ability to operate, target American servicemen or officials, or otherwise threaten American sovereignty.” Several false posts claiming that Duterte’s release has already been secured by US President Donald Trump also circulated on social media. However, the US has no official statement indicating that it is set to save Duterte from detention. Duterte was arrested in March 2025 and is currently facing three counts of crimes against humanity due to his alleged involvement in the killings under his war on drugs and the Davao Death Squad. Previous fact checks: Rappler has previously debunked similar false claims about Duterte: FACT CHECK: Duterte not set to be released amid US push to dismantle ICC FACT CHECK: No Trump plan to secure Duterte’s release from ICC FACT CHECK: Photos of Duterte at airport are fake, AI-generated FACT CHECK: Photos of Duterte being assisted in ICC courtroom are AI-generated FACT CHECK: ICC did not junk Duterte’s case – Angelee Kaye Abelinde/Rappler.com Angelee Kaye Abelinde is a student journalist based in Naga City, and an alumna of Rappler’s Aries Rufo Journalism Fellowship 2024. 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