FACT CHECK: US gov’t sanctions on ICC not a response to Duterte arrest
Claim: US President Donald Trump imposed sanctions on the International Criminal Court (ICC) in response to the arrest of former Philippine president Rodrigo Duterte.
Rating: FALSE
Why we fact-checked this: As of writing, the TikTok video has already amassed over 3.5 million views, 210,000 reactions, 5,500 comments, and 23,700 shares.
The video was uploaded on March 13, two days after Duterte’s arrest through a warrant issued by the ICC for crimes against humanity charges in relation to drug war killings.
Text on the video reads: “Di makapaniwala ang Palasyo at Kongreso sa biglaang hatol ni Pres. Trump sa ICC? Duterte ligtas na sa ICC.”
(The Palace and Congress can’t believe the sudden decision of President Trump on the ICC? Duterte is now safe from the ICC.”
The video claimed that the US sanctions against the ICC would safeguard the Dutertes from a supposed scheme of the Marcoses: “Mukhang tuluyan nang nasira ang plano ng gobyerno sa ilalim ni Pangulong Marcos laban sa mga Duterte lalo na laban kay Vice President Sara Duterte dahil mismo ang ICC ay naparusahan na ng United States President na si Donald Trump.”
(It seems that the government’s plan under President Marcos against the Dutertes, especially against Vice President Sara Duterte, has completely been destroyed because the ICC itself has been sanctioned by United States President Donald Trump.)
It added, “Maganda pang balita ay banned na ang ICC sa anumang travel at naka freeze na rin ang kanillang mga assets. Kaya mukhang hindi na mapapakinabangan pa at magagamit pa ng gobyerno ang ICC laban sa mga Duterte.”
(The good news is that the ICC has been banned from any travel and their assets have been frozen. So it seems that the government can no longer use the ICC against the Dutertes.)
The TikTok account Selena/User_Ride (@selena_user_rider), which uploaded the video, also consistently publishes false and pro-Duterte content masquerading as political news. The said profile boasts over 47,500 followers and 800,200 likes.
The facts: While Trump did impose sanctions on ICC investigators, the move was not linked to Duterte’s arrest, contrary to the claim. The US sanctions were announced a month before Duterte’s arrest, and are targeted at people who work on ICC investigations of US citizens or US allies, such as Israel.
On February 6, the White House, through an executive order signed by Trump, said it would freeze any US assets of those designated and would bar them and their families from visiting the United States. Trump claimed that the ICC has “engaged in illegitimate and baseless actions targeting America and our close ally Israel.”
The issue stemmed from the ICC’s issuance of an arrest warrant against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former military official Yoav Gallant for alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity. The US has condemned the move, saying: “The ICC has no jurisdiction over the United States or Israel, as neither country is party to the Rome Statute or a member of the ICC.”
Trump’s executive order has drawn criticism from the international community. Human rights groups said the US sanctions undermine “the court’s vital mandate for justice.”
Duterte’s arrest, propaganda: Following his arrest and transfer to the ICC in the Netherlands, the former president is currently detained at Scheveningen prison in The Hague while waiting for the confirmation of charges hearing, which is scheduled for September 23. His first appearance at the ICC was on March 14, where he confirmed his identity and was made aware of the charges against him. (READ: Still confused? Answering the most common questions about Duterte’s ICC arrest’)
Following Duterte’s arrest, many false claims have spread over social media, painting Duterte as a victim of their family’s political warfare against the Marcoses. These posts also often defend the former president’s war on drugs, depicting him as a hero who safeguarded Filipinos against drug addicts. (READ: [DECODED] Duterte’s arrest revives familiar disinformation tactics)
Related fact checks include:
- Duterte not back in Davao, still detained at the ICC
- Chinese warplane did not escort plane carrying Duterte to ICC
- Duterte arrest not a cover-up for Tantoco’s death
The disinformation spread online includes fake quotes attributed to Trump, other influential personalities like Vice Ganda, and even fictional characters from hit television series. Rappler has been debunking false claims related to Duterte’s arrest and the disinformation tactics following it. – Reinnard Balonzo/Rappler.com
Reinnard Balonzo is a senior journalism student at Bicol University-College of Arts and Letters. An Aries Rufo Journalism Fellow graduate of Rappler for 2024, he is also chairperson of the College Editors Guild of the Philippines-Bicol.
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