FACT CHECK: Video of ICC judge saying Duterte should be…

In July 2025, a Facebook reel featuring a manipulated video of International Criminal Court (ICC) Judge Joanna Korner went viral, falsely claiming that she had ordered the immediate release of former Philippine president Rodrigo Duterte. The video, which accumulated tens of thousands of views and hundreds of shares, misled social media users into believing the former leader was being set free by the court.

What happened

The video utilized AI-generated imagery and audio to simulate Judge Korner delivering a statement regarding Duterte’s detention. In the clip, the judge purportedly states that the court reviewed a petition and concluded that Duterte must be released in accordance with law and justice. Similar AI-generated content featuring the judge had previously appeared in June, spreading parallel claims about the former president’s status.

Independent analysis confirmed the fabrication. AI detection tools, including Hive Detect and DetectVideo AI, flagged the content with high probability scores for manipulation, noting both the audio and visual components were artificial. Furthermore, a reverse image search yielded no credible records of the judge making such statements, and the official ICC website contained no press releases or reports to support the claim.

In reality, the ICC has consistently denied Duterte’s appeals for interim release. Following the confirmation of charges against him in April, the court ruled in May that he would remain detained for at least another year, citing an increased risk of flight. Duterte, who was arrested in March 2025 on charges of crimes against humanity related to his war on drugs, remains in custody with his trial scheduled to begin in November.