FACT CHECK: Photos of Duterte being assisted in ICC courtroom are AI-generated

Claim: Photos show International Criminal Court (ICC) Trial Chamber III Presiding Judge Joanna Korner and defense lawyer Peter Haynes assisting former president Rodrigo Duterte inside the ICC courtroom. 

Rating: FALSE

Why we fact-checked this: Multiple posts circulated on social media showing the photos of Duterte wearing a brown suit and looking weak while being assisted in the courtroom by Korner and Haynes. A post bearing the claim was posted on June 1, 2026, and has since garnered over 5,900 reactions, 1,100 comments, and 371 shares. 

The caption on the post reads, “Pakiramdam ko malapit kana makalaya tatay Digong konting tiis nalang makakauwi kana din mahal kong pangulo hinding hindi ka pababayaan ng Panginoon dahil busilak ang iyong puso mahal na mahal ka ng milyon-milyong pilipino sa buong mundo.” 

(I feel like you’re about to be free, Tatay Digong. Just a little patience and you’ll be able to go home, my dear president. The Lord will never abandon you because your heart is pure. Millions of Filipinos around the world love you very much). 

A similar claim posted on June 7, 2026, turned the photos into a Facebook reel and has also received 82,000 views. The post pertains to Duterte’s weak posture based on the photos, implying that he should be free from detention because of his deteriorating health condition. 

“Kaluoy sa amahan sa katawhan nganong Dili nlng hatagan ug kagawasan,” the caption said.  (Have mercy on the father of the people, why don’t you just give them freedom?)

The post pertains to Duterte’s posture in the photos, implying that he should be free from detention because of his deteriorating health condition. 

The facts: The photos are fake and were generated using artificial intelligence (AI).  Sight Engine, an AI detection software, flagged one of the photos as 99% AI-generated. Hive Moderation also flagged the photo as 99.9% likely to contain AI-generated content. Truth Scan also flagged the image as 97% AI-generated. 

The AI-generated photos also show wrong depictions of the ICC banner. It falsely shows the horizontal line between “International Criminal” and “International Court.” The text on the ICC banner and logo actually reads “Cour Pénale Internationale” above the horizontal line and “International Criminal Court” below it. 

Reverse image search also did not show any real photos similar to the AI-generated images. 

Duterte appearance: Duterte has not made any in-person appearances in any of the recent hearings related to his crimes against humanity charges because of his administration’s war on drugs, which reportedly resulted in over 30,000 deaths. 

On May 27, 2026, Duterte was also absent during his case’s first status conference after he waived his right to appear at the hearing. In February 2026, Duterte also waived his right to attend the pre-trial hearing, saying that he is “old, tired, and frail,” a reason which the ICC described as irrelevant. 

His last appearance in ICC hearings was on March 14, 2025, through video link from the ICC detention center, during the identity verification of the Pre-Trial Chamber I.  

The ICC allowed Duterte’s past absences on the basis of a waiver. According to the ICC judges and under ICC rules, a waiver is sufficient to be excused from proceedings. While the ICC has allowed these in the past, Duterte’s attendance will be mandatory on November 30, which marks the start of the full trial for his case. 

Debunked: Rappler has debunked similar false claims about Duterte’s ICC detention: 

• FACT-CHECK: Duterte won’t be sent to Japan 
• FACT CHECK: Video of ICC judge saying Duterte should not be imprisoned is AI-generated 
• FACT CHECK: Rodrigo Duterte is alive, still detained at the ICC 
• FACT CHECK: ICC judge did not say Duterte was ‘kidnapped’ 

– 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.