FACT CHECK: Duterte's alleged July 2026 release video is AI-generated fake news

A video circulating on social media claiming that former president Rodrigo Duterte will be released in July 2026 and return to the Philippines is fake news, Rappler's fact-check revealed. The video was identified as AI-generated, and there is no official announcement from the International Criminal Court (ICC) confirming his release. The video, posted on July 26, garnered significant reactions, shares, and comments. It features a reporter saying, “Breaking news: PRRD is set to return to the Philippines this July 2026. Loyalists, you’re going to cry. Duterte diehard supporters, let us celebrate the return of Father Digong.” Many social media users believed the supposed news to be real. One comment read, “Thank you, Father Digong can finally come home. The fight continues.” However, the video was determined to be AI-generated. Hive Detect flagged it as 99.9% likely to contain AI-generated content, while Undetectable AI labeled it as AI-generated with 94% confidence. The video lacked any disclaimer about its AI generation, misleading social media users. Furthermore, there is no official announcement from the ICC confirming that Duterte is set to be released in July 2026. The former president remains detained at the ICC facility in The Hague, Netherlands, awaiting the start of his full trial in November for alleged crimes against humanity related to his war on drugs and the Davao Death Squad. The circulation of this AI-generated video comes after the US announced its campaign to dismantle the ICC, citing its alleged threat to American sovereignty. In a press release on July 13, the US State Department stated, “The campaign will feature a whole-of-government response to systematically disable the ICC’s ability to operate, target American servicemen or officials, or otherwise threaten American sovereignty.” Prior to this, false posts claiming that President Donald Trump had secured Duterte’s release also circulated on social media, but the US has no official statement indicating it is set to save Duterte from detention. Duterte was arrested in March 2025 and is currently facing three counts of crimes against humanity due to his alleged involvement in killings under his war on drugs and the Davao Death Squad. Rappler has previously debunked similar false claims about Duterte. Source: Rappler Philippines