A VIRAL video with over 400,000 reactions inaccurately links former President Rodrigo Roa Duterte’s arrest on the basis of the warrant issued by the International Criminal Court (ICC) to a major religious event in Cebu, mistaken by some as a prayer rally for him.
The video, shared on Facebook on Thursday, March 13, 2025, featured a crowd at the 460th Fiesta Señor Penitential Walk with Mary, along with a video message from Duterte prior to his arrival in Rotterdam, the Netherlands.
As of 4:10 p.m. on Saturday, March 15, the video has 439,000 reactions; 15,300 comments; and 27,000 shares on Facebook.
Evidence
Upon analyzing the clip using a video verification tool, it was revealed that the footage depicted devotees attending the Penitential Walk with Mary in Cebu City on Jan. 17.
The source of the video was also reported by GMA News on the news agency’s Facebook page in January.
According to Google Lens, while the video source may not be entirely accurate due to image verification, all visual matches in the search suggest that the video was taken months earlier, during the Fiesta Señor event in Cebu in January.
Meanwhile, Duterte’s video message was recorded on March 12, while he was en route from the Philippines to The Hague in the Netherlands, where the ICC is based.
Duterte in the video acknowledged his responsibility for the actions taken during his “war on drugs,” particularly those carried out by the police and military, assuring them he would protect them from legal consequences.
He also recognized the long legal process ahead, expressed his commitment to continue serving the country regardless of the outcome, and reassured his supporters, emphasizing his acceptance of responsibility.
“To my countrymen, just to give you the current situation, I am about to land in The Hague, coming from Dubai with a stopover. It’s a long haul, a long flight. I’m okay, do not worry. I think this has something to do with the law and order back then, and I’ve always told the police and military to do your jobs and I will take responsibility,” said Duterte in a mix of Tagalog
and English.
“For whatever happened in the past, I am the one who will front our law enforcement and military. I’ve said that I will protect you, and I will take responsibility for everything. This will be a long legal proceeding, but I say to you, I will continue to serve my country, and so be it if that is my destiny,” he added.
Duterte’s arrest follows allegations of crimes against humanity connected to the extrajudicial killings during his war on drugs.
He was arrested on Tuesday, March 11, in Metro Manila.
He is now facing legal proceedings at the ICC in The Hague, with a confirmation of charges hearing scheduled for Sept. 23. / DPC