A viral social media claim that former Philippine president Rodrigo Duterte was found unconscious in his International Criminal Court detention cell has been debunked by his daughter and legal team. The false report, which spread widely on Facebook, originated from a now-deleted post attributed to commentator Jay Sonza. Vice President Sara Duterte and counsel Nicholas Kaufman confirmed Duterte's well-being amid ongoing legal proceedings.
The claim emerged on November 22, 2025, alleging that Duterte had been discovered unconscious in his cell at the ICC's facilities in The Hague, Netherlands. It quickly gained traction on Facebook, with one post from the page 'Bright Channel'—which has 1.1 million followers—receiving 5,500 reactions, 5,700 comments, and 106 shares. The caption referenced a supposed post by Jay Sonza, though his original message has been deleted, leaving only screenshots to fuel the misinformation.
Vice President Sara Duterte addressed the rumor during an event in Davao City on November 23. 'His lawyer called him last night, especially after the news came out that he was found unconscious in his room, and the lawyer said that he was OK,' she stated, as reported by The Philippine Star.
Duterte's lead counsel, Nicholas Kaufman, issued a firm denial. 'I would like to state, in no uncertain terms, that the information circulating on the internet suggesting that former President Duterte was found unconscious in his cell this morning is totally untrue,' he told media outlets including the Daily Tribune and GMA News.
Duterte, aged 80, remains in ICC custody facing three counts of crimes against humanity for murder, tied to 49 incidents and 78 victims from his administration's war on drugs. This incident echoes a September 2025 claim from his camp about a fainting episode, which ICC representative Kristina Conti dismissed as unconfirmed propaganda. Conti noted that Duterte underwent a CT scan and MRI in May and June 2025, as documented in defense submissions.
The false report surfaced just before the ICC Appeals Chamber's scheduled ruling on November 28, 2025, at 10:30 a.m. in The Hague (5:30 p.m. Manila time) regarding Duterte's appeal for interim release. Filed on October 14 after a September 26 rejection, the appeal argues against findings of flight risk and highlights humanitarian concerns for the infirm ex-president.
Rappler has previously fact-checked similar hoaxes about Duterte's health and detention status, underscoring persistent disinformation efforts.