ADMINISTRATION lawmakers yesterday slammed allies and supporters of detained former president Rodrigo Duterte for relentlessly spreading fake news following his arrest and turnover to the International Criminal Court (ICC) in the Netherlands last week, calling it a “national embarrassment” in the face of the international community.
La Union Rep. Paolo Ortega V said even the ICC has fallen victim to misinformation after Duterte’s supporters spread false claims online that Presiding Judge Iulia Antoanella Motoc, a Romanian, lacked English proficiency, even if official ICC records showed that she is fluent in five languages, including English.
He also cited other misleading posts falsely linking Motoc to the Marcos family by misidentifying her in a photo with First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos to make it appear that the ICC is conspiring with the Philippine government.
“The attacks on Judge Motoc show how far disinformation networks will go to distort reality and discredit legal proceedings. They’re fabricating stories, questioning credibility, and spreading outright lies just to muddy the waters,” Ortega said.
“The sheer volume of disinformation is not just disturbing — it’s humiliating. Umaabot na sa puntong pati ICC, isang international tribunal, ay nadadamay sa kasinungalingan. Nakakahiya tayo sa buong mundo (It has reached a point that even the ICC, an international tribunal, is being targeted by the spread of lies. It’s embarrassing to the rest of the world),” he added.
In the pre-trial hearing last Friday, the ICC judges also ignored the claim of former executive secretary Salvador Medialdea, Duterte’s legal counsel, that he was “kidnapped” and that his transfer to the ICC’s custody was political on the part of the Philippine government.
Motoc has set the confirmation hearing for September 23, the official start of Duterte’s trial for crimes against humanity.
Ortega assailed the false narratives made by Medialdea, including his claims that Duterte was missing at one point and that the ICC was not providing him medical attention.
“Many people were agitated by these misleading statements, and we must hold accountable those who are deliberately peddling fake news to manipulate public perception. Hindi ito simpleng usapin ng opinyon — deliberate disinformation ito na sinasadyang lituhin ang publiko (This isn’t just a simple issue of opinion, it’s a deliberate disinformation to confuse the public),” he said.
Ortega also cited the proliferation online of fake quote cards falsely attributing statements of support for Duterte to global figures, including U.S. President Donald Trump and even fictional character Saul Goodman from the hit American TV crime drama “Breaking Bad.”
“These fabricated narratives are meant to stir chaos and cast doubt on legal proceedings. It’s alarming that some people are so desperate to twist reality that they’ll even invent quotes from fictional characters. Ano na lang ang tingin sa atin ng international community (How would we look at the international community now)?” Ortega said.
Ortega also cited manipulated videos depicting protests in Argentina and Serbia as supposed rallies for Duterte in the Philippines.
“The ICC’s jurisdiction over the case has been affirmed, yet the same false claims keep circulating, misleading people into believing otherwise. We need to combat this flood of fake news with facts, not propaganda,” Ortega said.
For his part, Lanao del Sur Rep. Zia Alonto Adiong scoffed at the spread of fake news that the Supreme Court (SC) has received a petition for President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s resignation, calling it “a reckless and desperate attempt to deceive the public and destabilize the government.”
“This is a blatant act of deception, meant to sow confusion and disrupt our nation. We will not allow malicious actors to use the Supreme Court as a tool for political sabotage. The law must come down hard on those spreading these lies,” Adiong said.
The SC last Monday denied receiving such petition and distanced itself from a circulating document titled “Supreme Court Receives Petition on 16 Million Signatures Calling for President Marcos’ Resignation.”
The High Court was able to trace the document’s source to Facebook accounts named “Choose Libungan” and “Bernard Flores Maicon” as it vowed to impose sanctions on fake news peddlers.
Adiong warned of the broader consequences of disinformation, as he emphasized the need for stronger penalties against individuals and groups weaponizing social media to spread falsehoods.
“It’s time to stop this deception. Lies have consequences, it poisons the people’s mind and sow chaos. Those behind it must answer under the law),” he said in Filipino.
CASUALTY OF WAR
Makabayan senatorial candidate Teddy Casiño said Duterte was a casualty of war between political dynasties.
Casiño, a human rights advocate, said there was no denying that the arrest had political colors happening as it did in the middle of a high profile bickering between the camps of Duterte and President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.
He added that the fact that the ICC was able to get its hands on the former president and fly him to The Hague in Netherlands to face criminal proceedings was the only logical consequence of his daughter, Vice President Sara Duterte’s, falling out with the current occupant of Malacañang.
“Was there politics behind the arrest? It went like this: After the Uniteam broke apart, Marcos removed the mantle that protected Duterte. He allowed the ICC to arrest Duterte so he can be tried for his crimes. In other words, because of their political squabbles, Duterte lost his protector and must now face the bar of justice,” the former lawmaker said.
Casiño noted that the Marcos government had previously refused to cooperate with ICC investigators.
“The Marcos-Duterte reciprocity deal was a fact: for the Duterte family’s help in his presidential bid, Marcos will make sure the former president won’t have to answer for his crimes. The Unitem breakup turned out advantageous to the people because it stripped Duterte of Marcos’ protection, Duterte could no longer avoid the ICC,” he pointed out.
At the same time, the chairperson of the militant Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (BAYAN) pointed out that the decision of the ICC to step in betrays the deficiencies of the country’s own justice system.
“Because of the weaknesses of the justice system and the complicity of almost the entire law enforcement and investigative bodies in Duterte’s war on drugs, it was practically next to impossible to obtain justice for the extra judicial killings. That was why the ICC saw it fit to step in to hold Duterte and his cohorts accountable,” he added.
Rather than attacking the ICC and other parties, he said the Duterte camp should simply admit to being duped by the Marcoses.
“Marcos pulled off a fast one and Duterte fell for it. I hope the people retical dynasties but the pursuit of justice for the victims and their families,” Casiño said.
Labor leader Luke Espiritu, senatorial candidate for Partido Lakas ng Masa, said the Duterte legacy of polarizing the Filipino public has made human lives too cheap.
“In this country, we now cheer the loss of lives. We have turned the values of a civilized and humane society on its head. Our own people do not see anything wrong about drug addicts being killed as long as they are not residents of Forbes Park and White Plains,” he said.
Meanwhile, the Archdiocese of Davao yesterday offered its prayers and support for Duterte while appealing to the Marcos administration to not use the issue for political gains.
In his pastoral message, Davao Archbishop Romulo Valles said they are in full support of Duterte.
“While we affirm the importance of accountability, we also extend our pastoral support and prayers to the former president and his family; he being a son of this local Church, so beloved by a vast number of our faithful,” said Valles.
On the other hand, the prelate called on the Marcos administration to let justice be pursued with fairness and integrity, and not with political color.
“Justice must remain free from partisan political motivations or personal vendettas. We urge our government to uphold due process, adhere to the rule of law, and respect the fundamental principle of the presumption of innocence,” he said.
Valles likewise called for calm and sobriety among Davaoeños amid the challenges facing Duterte.
“We call upon you, our faithful here in the Archdiocese, to reject hatred and division, choosing instead the path of dialogue over discord, and reconciliation over conflict,” he said. – With Peter Tabingo and Gerard Naval
