A circulating news graphic online is claiming that Davao City Rep. Paolo Duterte has filed a “request” in the House of Representatives to declare March 11 a holiday to mark the day his detained father, former president Rodrigo Duterte, was arrested by the International Criminal Court for crimes against humanity charges. This is not true.
First published by an impostor TikTok account on March 11, the news card bore a photo of the younger Duterte holding documents along with the text:
“Paolo “Pulong” Duterte nag file ng request sa House of Representatives na gawing holiday ang March 11, bilang pag bibigay alaala sa nakulong niyang Ama
(Paolo “Pulong” Duterte filed a request in the House of Representatives to declare March 11 a holiday in honor of his detained father.)”
Several copies of the graphic have been reposted on Facebook and X (formerly Twitter) from March 14 to 16. These are false.
The official website of the House of Representatives has no record of any resolution, bill or other legislative document regarding the supposed request from Paolo Duterte. Filing a bill in the House is one of the ways to initiate the process of declaring a holiday in the Philippines.
The news graphic was originally from a TikTok account mimicking GMA Integrated News’ name and logo with slight alterations. The media organization has disowned another fake quote card posted by this account, which VERA Files has previously fact-checked. (READ: FACT CHECK: Robredo quote on ‘opposing repatriation of OFWs amid war in Iran’ FAKE)
The younger Duterte’s photo used in the bogus graphic card shows him holding a certificate of candidacy. A reverse image search reveals a similar image published in a Rappler article on Oct. 6, 2012 about the Duterte father-son tandem in the 2013 local elections in Davao City.
Any bill or alleged request to mark the day of arrest of the Duterte patriarch —the first Asian former head of state to be indicted by the ICC— would have drawn widespread local media coverage. Yet results from cursory and keyword searches of the graphic’s text show that no credible media organization has reported on Paolo Duterte’s supposed filing. The claim was circulated only by social media users without verifiable sources.
The graphic with untrue claims emerged on the same day Paolo Duterte issued a statement commemorating the first anniversary of the March 11 arrest of his father by the ICC. Nowhere in the statement did he mention any request to declare the date a holiday.
The false post by the TikTok account @dailydosephilippines received 1,275 interactions and 43,500 views. Eight copies reposted by FB users and pages collectively amassed 20,515 reactions; 5,542 comments; and 499 shares, with two videos garnering 45,700 views as of writing.
