FACT CHECK: Photos of Duterte being assisted in ICC courtroom are AI-generated - Rappler

In June 2026, social media platforms saw the circulation of several images claiming to show former Philippine president Rodrigo Duterte being assisted by ICC Presiding Judge Joanna Korner and defense lawyer Peter Haynes inside a courtroom. The images, which depicted Duterte looking weak in a brown suit, were used to garner sympathy and advocate for his release based on alleged health conditions. However, these visuals are entirely fabricated and do not represent actual events.

What happened

The images were identified as AI-generated content through multiple technical analyses. Software tools including Sight Engine, Hive Moderation, and Truth Scan flagged the photos with high confidence scores ranging from 97% to 99.9% likelihood of being AI-generated. Furthermore, the images contained clear visual errors, such as a misrepresentation of the International Criminal Court banner, which incorrectly placed text and lines compared to the official logo. Reverse image searches confirmed that no authentic photographs of such an event exist.

At the time of the posts, Duterte had not made any in-person appearances for hearings related to his crimes against humanity charges. He was absent during the May 27, 2026, status conference and had previously waived his right to attend pre-trial hearings, citing his age and health. While the ICC has permitted his absence through waivers in the past, his attendance will become mandatory for the full trial scheduled for November 30. The spread of these synthetic images is part of a broader pattern of misinformation surrounding Duterte’s status at the ICC, which has previously included other debunked claims regarding his detention and legal proceedings.