FACT CHECK: Fake quote cards expressing support for Duterte cite fictional characters

Why we fact-checked this: The statements, which surfaced online in the days leading up to Duterte’s first ICC appearance on March 14, gained significant traction online. 

One of the quote cards features the CNN logo and an alleged statement from Keating, who is described as a Harvard professor. She supposedly said that the ICC made a “grave mistake” by arresting Duterte because the Philippines withdrew from the Rome Statute — the treaty that established the ICC — in 2019, rendering the arrest illegal. This post amassed 55,000 reactions, 21,000 shares, and 3,000 comments as of writing.

A second quote card, posted on March 13, featured an “Atty. Saul Goodman” from Yale University expressing similar support for Duterte, saying that the arrest “clearly violates international law.” This post, which bore the Fox News logo, garnered 4,600 reactions, 2,400 shares, and 365 comments. It was posted alongside another quote card featuring Duterte’s remarks upon arriving at The Hague, Netherlands.

The facts: The quote cards are fake. Keating and Goodman are fictional television characters: Keating is the main character of the show How to Get Away with Murder, played by actress Viola Davis, while Goodman is a character in the shows Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul, portrayed by Bob Odenkirk. Additionally, the official websites and social media pages of CNN and Fox News show no quote card or statement similar to those shown in the circulating social media posts. 

Text in the alleged Fox News quote card mentions a “UN General Assembly Resolution 69” and “public fellatio,” which suggests that the quote card may have been intended as a joke or satirical content. However, comments on the posts and reposts show that some believe the quote cards to be true, especially as they are presented in the quote card formatting styles typically used by news organizations. (READ: SATIRE VS FAKE NEWS: Can you tell the difference?)

Duterte’s arrest: These fake quote cards and other false claims surfaced on social media following Duterte’s arrest on March 11 through a warrant issued by the ICC. He is accused of crimes against humanity over his administration’s war on drugs and extrajudicial killings. (READ: Inside story: Rodrigo Duterte’s ICC arrest)

While a number of Filipinos welcomed Duterte’s arrest, the former president’s staunch supporters questioned the legality of the move, repeating the claim that the ICC no longer has jurisdiction over the drug war cases because the Philippines withdrew from the ICC in 2019. This is false. The ICC asserts that it retains jurisdiction over “the alleged crimes that occurred during the period when the Philippines was a State Party to the Rome Statute.” (EXPLAINER: What you need to know about ICC’s jurisdiction over Duterte)

Ongoing online disinformation: Despite the ICC’s statement, Duterte’s supporters have continued to push the narrative of the former president as a victim to try to manipulate public opinion. Various false claims have circulated online, including fake quote cards attributed to US President Donald Trump. In 2021, a Rappler report investigated how celebrities and influencers were paid significant sums of money between 2017 and 2018 to push Duterte propaganda online.

On March 14, Duterte made his first appearance before the ICC’s pre-trial chamber. His confirmation of charges hearing is scheduled for September when the ICC will determine whether there is sufficient evidence to proceed with a full trial.

Other fact checks: Rappler has previously fact-checked similar claims related to Duterte and his ICC arrest:

• FACT CHECK: Quote cards of Trump’s statements on Duterte arrest are fake
• FACT CHECK: Vice Ganda quote card on Duterte drug war, pandemic response is fake
• FACT CHECK: Post praising Duterte used ‘quote’ from fictional character Nick Fury

– Cyril Bocar/Rappler.com 

Efren Cyril Bocar is a student journalist from Llorente, Eastern Samar, enrolled in English Language Studies at the Visayas State University. A managing editor of Amaranth, Cyril is a graduate of the Aries Rufo Journalism Fellowship of Rappler for 2024. 

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