Facebook (FB) and TikTok posts falsely claimed that police generals filed a fifth impeachment complaint against Vice President Sara Duterte.
On Feb. 25, an FB page posted a photo of policemen holding some documents, with a caption that read:
“MGA GENERAL NG FILE NG PANG 5 IMPEACHMENT CASE VS.VICE PRESIDENT SARA DUTERTE (Generals filed a fifth impeachment case vs. Vice President Sara Duterte)!!!!”
The same photo was also posted by a TikTok user on Feb. 23. Its caption read:
“BREAKING NEWS! MGA GENERAL NG FILE NG PANG 5 IMPEACHMENT CASE VS.VICE PRESIDENT SARA DUTERTE (Generals filed a fifth impeachment case vs. Vice President Sara Duterte)!!! SALUTE TO ALL OUR GENERALS MABUHAY PO KAYO (Long live)”
This is false. Only four impeachment complaints have been filed against Duterte, which were from activist members of the House of Representatives, people’s organizations and clerics. The photo attached to the posts was from a 2023 event of the National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO).
On Feb. 5, the House of Representatives impeached Duterte after more than one-third of its members signed the fourth verified complaint against her. She is now awaiting trial in the Senate, which would act as the Impeachment Court as mandated by law.
A reverse image search of the police generals’ photo in the false posts revealed that it was taken from a January 2023 article of RMN Networks, which shows then-NCRPO chief general Jonnel Estomo and his officers after they signed their courtesy resignations on Jan. 6, 2023.
A similar claim initially circulated on TikTok in January 2025. It resurfaced on the platform and reached FB amid Senate preparations for Duterte’s impeachment trial and after Criminal Investigation and Detection Group Chief Brig. Gen. Nicolas Torre III said on Feb. 23 that he was willing to testify at the trial, if necessary.
The post – uploaded by the FB page DDS Legacy 2016 (created May 22, 2024) – has amassed around 6,800 reactions, 4,500 comments and 506 shares. On TikTok, the January and February 2025 posts of two different users have collectively garnered around 18,400 likes, 3,000 comments and 1,000 shares.
