FACT CHECK: No proof of Duterte in ‘critical’ condition

2026-02-19 - 08:03

Claim: A few days before his confirmation of charges hearing, former president Rodrigo Duterte is in “critical” condition while detained at the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague, Netherlands. Rating: FALSE Why we fact-checked this: A YouTube video by News Update Files bearing the claim is quickly gaining traction online, garnering more than 11,100 views and 75 comments within hours of being posted on February 19. The video is titled, “Rodrigo Duterte 50-50 na! Juskopo! FPRRD malapit na mamatay? ICC nagpapanic na! Umiyak si VP Sara!) (Rodrigo Duterte now in 50-50 condition! Oh my God! [Former president Rodrigo Roa Duterte] is about to die? ICC is panicking! VP Sara cried!) A video from the same channel bears a similar claim and is titled, “Just now! FPRRD sinugod sa hospital? Juskopo! Rodrigo Duterte kritikal na! Nagkagulo lahat sa ICC!“ (Just now! FPRRD rushed to the hospital? Oh my God! Rodrigo Duterte is critical! Everyone is in chaos at the ICC!) The videos, which circulated ahead of Duterte’s pre-trial hearing at the ICC, have misled many social media users, with some stating that they are praying for the ex-president’s health. The facts: There is no proof that Duterte is now in critical condition. The video merely uses clickbait language to draw viewers, while its content features commentary and reaction from online personality Banat By on an entirely different subject. In Duterte’s latest letter submitted to the ICC pre-trial chamber on February 18, Duterte requested to waive his right to attend his confirmation of charges hearing scheduled on February 23, citing his poor health and refusal to recognize the chamber’s jurisdiction. “I do not wish to attend legal proceedings that I will forget within minutes. I am old, tired, and frail. I wish for this Court to respect my peace inside the cell it has placed me. I have accepted the fact that I could die in prison,” Duterte said in a letter typed for him on February 17. While his legal team has reiterated that the former president is cognitively impaired and unfit to stand trial, there has been no mention of Duterte supposedly being in critical condition or that he was rushed to the hospital because of his health — contradicting the misleading videos’ claims that he was “near death.” (READ: ‘I am old, tired, and frail’: Duterte asks ICC to skip pre-trial) Court ruling: On January 26, the ICC pre-trial chamber found Duterte “able effectively to exercise his procedural rights and is therefore fit to take part in the pre-trial proceedings” following assessments by medical experts. “The Chamber is satisfied that Mr. Duterte is fit to [participate in the pre-trial proceedings], that those proceedings shall therefore resume and that certain measures shall be put in place to assist Mr. Duterte during the confirmation of charges hearing, as advised by the medical opinions received by the Chamber,” the ruling read. In an order setting the schedule and directions for the confirmation of charges hearing, the ICC pre-trial chamber acknowledged the special measures recommended by medical experts to facilitate Duterte’s participation in the pre-trial proceedings. It set out specific arrangements, such as restricting the total duration of hearings per day to no more than three hours, providing breaks every one hour during the hearings, and limiting the number of days of hearings to a maximum of four per week, with a full day’s rest midweek. (READ: Duterte at the ICC: Key dates to remember) Duterte is accused of three counts of murder that make up crimes against humanity, covering killings from the Davao Death Squad to his administration’s war on drugs. Disinformation regarding Duterte’s ICC proceedings: Duterte’s arrest in March 2025 has sparked a surge of disinformation, with many posts painting the former strongman as a victim. (READ: [DECODED] Duterte’s arrest revives familiar disinformation tactics) Given the high-profile nature of the case, disinformation campaigns designed to discredit the legal process and mislead the public are expected to surface on social media. For credible updates, follow the ICC website, the court’s official social media accounts, or reports from legitimate news outlets. – Princess Leah Sagaad/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.