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The former president of the country, Rodrigo Duterte, remains in the ICC custody in The Hague, Netherlands, where he has been held since March 2025.
Claim: Former President Rodrigo Duterte has disappeared after being kidnapped from the International Criminal Court (ICC) facility.
Rating: FALSE
Why we looked at these facts: YouTube video uploaded on March 18 by channel “Update Information Files” has the name “This is amazing! The FPRRD has been hijacked? The FPRRD does not exist in the ICC! ICC judges do not care about Duterte!”
(Amazing! (Former President Rodrigo Roa Duterte) kidnapped? FPRRD does not exist in ICC! ICC judges no longer care about Duterte!)
The thumbnail showed the text reading “FPRRD disappears from ICC? Rodrigo Duterte kidnapped?” (FPRRD missing ICC? Rodrigo Duterte kidnapped?) along with a photo of the former president with the tag “Missing Person.” Text “FPRRD will not appear in the ICC!” (FPRRD can no longer be found in ICC!) is also shown.
As of writing, the video has received over 16,000 views, 2,000 likes and 56 comments.
Fact: Contrary to claims, Duterte is not missing yet under protection in the ICC detention center in Scheveningen, The Hague.
He has been held there since March 2025 and is officially listed as one of them currently under ICC custody. No credible media outlet has reported missing, abducted or missing.
He made his mark 81st birthday detention on March 28, 2026, where supporters gathered outside the ICC facility to express their support. His son, Davao City 1st District Representative Paolo Duterte, said that he he recently visited his fatherwho explained that he is in good condition.
The video in question is just a political commentary discussing attorney Nicholas Kaufman defense submissions in Duterte February pre-trial hearing.
In the commentary, the narrator relates Kaufman’s arguments to bribery allegations made by 18 former Soldiers — allegations that have already been disputed by the military. ICC, former senator Antonio Trillanesand Ombudsman Crispin “Boying” Remulla. The video does not provide credible evidence that Duterte does not exist or that ICC judges cannot find him.
Imprisoned in The Hague: Duterte something to be arrested and Philippine authorities in March 2025, after the ICC issued a warrant against him on charges of crimes against humanity.
The former president is accused of carrying out a order “policy to kill” during his brutal anti-drug campaign from 2016 to 2022.
During Duterte pre-trial hearing from February 23 to 27, his legal team, led by Kaufman, he clapped his hands the prosecution’s case against him as “weak” and speculative. Kaufman questioned the heavily redacted documents, saying there was no solid evidence linking Duterte’s words to the actual deaths.
The ICC’s pre-trial chamber is expected to issue its decision on whether proceeding with the case by April.
Meanwhile, all appeals filed by Duterte seeking temporary release have been rejected. His latest request was rejected on March 6. – Cyril Bocar/Rappler.com
Efren Cyril Bocar is a journalist from Llorente, Eastern Samar who graduated with a degree in English Language Studies from the Visayas State University. Cyril is also a graduate of Rappler’s Aries Rufo Journalism Fellowship for 2024.
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