FACT CHECK: VP Sara did not say detained father to return home to PH ‘next week’

Vice President Sara Duterte has denied claims circulating on social media that her father, detained former president Rodrigo Duterte, is set to be released and will return to the Philippines next week. The claim, based on a video posted on July 28, has garnered over 11,000 views, 42 shares, and 20 comments. In the video, the Vice President is heard saying, “Makikita ko po siya sa susunod na linggo. Mahal nating lahat at inaantay natin lahat ang kanyang paglabas at pag-uwi sa Pilipinas.” This translates to, “I will see him next week. We all love him and we are all awaiting his release and return to the Philippines.” However, Duterte clarified that during her speech in London on July 25, she merely stated that she would “see him next week” in detention, not that he would be released or return home. She herself denied the claim on July 28, stating, “I did not say in my speech that PRRD will be out next week. I don’t know where that idea came from, but the transcript definitely does not show me saying that PRRD would be released from the ICC or that he would be released next week.” She further clarified that the ICC website only shows the schedule for the trial proper and does not indicate any announcements of her father’s release. The video also includes a news report about a US campaign to dismantle the International Criminal Court (ICC), seemingly to support the claim of Duterte's impending release. However, the report, from TV5 on July 14, merely discusses US President Donald Trump's campaign to dismantle the ICC and whether it would affect former president Duterte's case, not an announcement of his release. The US campaign aims to disable what it calls the ICC’s alleged threat to American sovereignty following the international court’s issuance of arrest warrants against US allies. Rodrigo Duterte was arrested in March 2025 and is currently facing three counts of crimes against humanity for his alleged involvement in killings under his war on drugs and the Davao Death Squad. His trial is set to begin on November 30, 2026, with no announcement regarding his release. Rappler has previously fact-checked similar false claims about Duterte's release. FACT CHECK: Duterte not set to be released amid US push to dismantle ICC FACT CHECK: No Trump plan to secure Duterte’s release from ICC FACT CHECK: Photos of Duterte at airport are fake, AI-generated FACT CHECK: Photos of Duterte being assisted in ICC courtroom are AI-generated