FACT CHECK: No reports of Trump seeking Duterte’s release from ICC

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No statements from the White House or Dela Rosa’s office confirm the supposed request

Claim: Senator Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa was summoned to the White House for a meeting with US President Donald Trump, who is expected to demand the release of former Philippine president Rodrigo Duterte from the custody of the International Criminal Court (ICC).

RATING: FALSE

Why we fact-checked this: The TikTok video containing the claim has 182,500 views, 9,021 likes, 351 shares, and 535 comments as of writing.

Text in the video states: “Sen. Bato Dela Rosa summoned to the White House — Trump to demand Duterte’s release from ICC.”

Some social media users appear to believe the video, with one top comment saying, “Thank you, Mr. Trump! May God bless [you], I salute you.” Other messages of gratitude for Trump and Dela Rosa flooded the comment section.

The facts: No official confirmation from the White House or Dela Rosa’s office substantiates the claim of a meeting or request for Duterte’s release. Legitimate diplomatic engagements are typically announced through credible sources, such as official government press releases or through the verified social media accounts of government institutions. 

As of this writing, there has been no announcement that Trump plans to demand Duterte’s release. The TikTok video only features photos of Dela Rosa and an AI-generated image of Trump with superimposed text but provides no evidence to support its claim. 

Moreover, Trump has no authority to demand Duterte’s release from the ICC, as the Court is an independent institution under the Rome Statute, and only the ICC has the power to make decisions on cases under its investigation, not foreign leaders or governments, no matter their position or influence.

Additionally, the US is not a party to the Rome Statute that established the ICC. It is also at odds with the Court, with Trump issuing an executive order in February 2025 that imposed sanctions on the ICC and its chief prosecutor, Karim Khan — a move that has been condemned by UN experts as an “attack on the global rule of law. This executive order was also the basis of Dela Rosa’s call for Trump to sanction the Filipinos who assisted in turning over Duterte to the ICC.

Pre-trial stage: Duterte is currently detained at the ICC in The Hague, facing charges of crimes against humanity related to his controversial war on drugs, which began during his tenure as Davao City mayor and continued throughout his presidency.

The ICC prosecutor has handed over 181 pieces of evidence to Duterte’s defense team, which formed the basis for the arrest warrant against him. This evidence, disclosed on March 21, includes documents, photographs, and testimonies that link Duterte to charges of murder as part of the drug war.

Duterte’s defense team has until April 11 to respond to the prosecution’s evidence and prepare their defense for the confirmation of charges hearing scheduled for September 23. This hearing will determine if the evidence is sufficient to proceed with a full trial. 

Since Duterte’s arrest on March 11, false claims have flooded social media, including fake expressions of support from Trump and various personalities. Rappler has fact-checked these claims:

• FACT CHECK: No reports of Elon Musk pledging $50 million for Duterte’s legal defense
• FACT CHECK: Fake ‘Fox News’ quote cards defending Duterte cite fictional characters
• FACT CHECK: No order from ICC president to release Duterte ahead of his birthday

– Marjuice Destinado/Rappler.com

 Marjuice Destinado is a Rappler intern. She is also a fact-checker and researcher-writer at Explained PH. A third-year political science student at Cebu Normal University (CNU), she serves as the feature editor of Ang Suga, CNU’s official student publication.

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