A TikTok video claims that former president Rodrigo Duterte is finally coming home to the Philippines through the help of Senate President Francis “Chiz” Escudero. This is false.
Uploaded on June 4, the clip featured a 2016 photo of Duterte on a plane with other government officials, including Escudero and his wife Heart Evangelista, other senators and former members of the Cabinet.
The video has an overlaid text that read:
“Dating Pangulong Rodrigo Duterte Makakauwi na sa Pilipinas. Thank you Sen. pres Escudero”
Its caption also states:
“Dating Pangulong Rodrigo Duterte Makakauwi na sa Pilipinas sa tulong ng mga Senador. #PRRD #netherlands #philippines #duterte”
This is an old photo taken in 2016 when Duterte and his delegation went to Hanoi, Vietnam as part of the then president’s introductory visits to neighboring countries.
A reverse image search shows that the photo originated from a GMA News article published on Sept. 28, 2016 about Evangelista joining the official Philippine delegation. The caption in the report credits the original image to the Malacañang PPD (Presidential Photographers Division).
Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano, who was with the delegation, posted a similar photo on X (formerly Twitter) on the same day, with the caption: “Pinoys in Hanoi! Led by Pres. Duterte. Let’s all work hard and pray for a very productive and fruitful official visit!”
The same image appears on the stock photo website Alamy, bearing the date Sept. 28, 2016, and a caption stating that the delegation was en route to Vietnam.
Duterte has been detained at the Scheveningen detention center in The Hague, Netherlands since he was turned over to the International Criminal Court following his arrest on March 11 for crimes against humanity in connection to his administration’s brutal war on drugs. He is still awaiting the confirmation of charges hearing scheduled on Sept. 23.
The false post circulated after Escudero faced backlash for allegedly favoring the Dutertes amid criticisms over perceived delays in the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte.
The video has so far garnered 437,700 views; 18,500 likes; 485 comments; and 121 shares as of writing.
