Jailed Philippine ex-leader not released after election win
- Published on May 21, 2025 at 11:38
- 3 min read
- By Jan Cuyco, AFP Philippines
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"So happy, welcome back home Father Digong," says a Tagalog-language Facebook post on May 16, 2025, using Duterte's popular nickname and sharing pictures of him on a flight.
Duterte's supporters on Facebook shared similar posts days after he was re-elected mayor of his family stronghold Davao city in a landslide vote while in a cell in The Hague (archived link).
He was arrested at Manila's international airport on March 11, 2025 and flown to the International Criminal Court to face charges tied to his crackdown on drugs that killed thousands (archived link).
His camp has said they would seek his interim release but AFP has not found any official notice on the tribunal's website this had been granted as of May 21 (archived here and here).
Duterte's communication has come sporadically and through surrogates, mainly his daughter Vice President Sara Duterte who was asked about Davao city possibly having an "absentee mayor" (archived link).
"Well definitely yes, he really isn't here," she said following Duterte's mayoral win.
Moreover, the circulating visuals purportedly showing Duterte's return home are misrepresented.
A reverse image search on Google found the ex-president's photo on a commercial plane in a July 8, 2016 article from MindaNews (archived link).
"Philippine Air Lines steward greets President Rodrigo Duterte at the economy section of the aircraft that would bring him to Davao City from Manila on Thursday, July 7, 2016," says its caption.
Local media outlet Rappler said he was attending an event with Muslim leaders from southern Philippines (archived link).
Meanwhile, his other picture surrounded by aides inside an aircraft was taken on an official trip to India, according to state-run Philippine News Agency that published the photo on January 25, 2018 (archived here and here).
"President Rodrigo Roa Duterte flashes his signature pose with the members of his delegation while on board Philippine Airlines chartered flight PR001 bound for New Delhi, India on January 24, 2018," reads the caption.
Duterte's next trial to confirm charges is scheduled on September 23 (archived link).
AFP has debunked more misinformation surrounding his arrest here.
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