Two versions of a quote card supposedly showing Judge Tomoko Akane, president of the International Criminal Court (ICC), ordering the release of former president Rodrigo Duterte and dismissing the charges against him a few days before his 80th birthday are circulating online. These are fake.
Readers sent the posts to VERA Files’ Messenger Misinformation Tipline for verification.
One of the fabricated quote cards was posted on March 18 by a Facebook (FB) user. It bore a photo of Academy Award-winning actress Michelle Yeoh, the ICC logo and the text:
“I firmly believe in President Duterte’s innocence. In response to the persistent calls from the Filipino people, as well as appeals from lawyers and human rights experts, I have decided to order his release on March 26, 2025, allowing him to celebrate his birthday at home. Additionally, I have directed the chamber to dismiss the charges of crimes against humanity against President Duterte and to grant his Immediate freedom.”
Later copies of the fake quote card published on March 21 used an actual photo of Akane instead of Yeoh’s image.
Akane has given no such directive. No statement or press release has been published on the court’s website about Duterte’s “release.”
The former president, who will turn 80 on March 28, remains in the custody of the ICC at The Hague Penitentiary Institution in The Netherlands.
As of writing, Duterte’s legal team has not even filed an application for interim release. ICC spokesperson Dr. Fadi El Abdallah told GMA Integrated News that such petitions are decided on a case-by-case basis by the court’s judges.
The spurious posts made the rounds online ahead of Duterte’s birthday.
Copies of the fabricated quote card published on FB collectively garnered 2,640 reactions, 1,234 comments and 3,571 shares, with one reel receiving 14,300 views. They have also been reposted on Threads and TikTok.
