Days after ex-Philippine president Rodrigo Duterte was flown to The Hague to face a charge of crimes against humanity, a video of a huge prayer vigil surfaced in social media posts that falsely claimed it showed a demonstration of support for the former leader. The footage, which was viewed millions of times, in fact shows an annual Catholic procession held in the central Philippines two months earlier.
The video, showing scores of people holding candles while walking and reciting a rosary prayer in the Visayan language, was shared on Facebook on March 15, 2025.
“Lord please hear our prayers and bring PRRD back (home) healthy and safe,” reads part of the video’s caption, using initials in place of president Rodrigo Roa Duterte.
Overlaid text on the video says the prayer rally took place in Cebu, Catholic-majority Philippines’ second-largest city.
The video was shared alongside similar claims on TikTok, as well as a Facebook post that racked up 3.5 million views before it was deleted.
It circulated after Duterte was arrested in Manila and sent to The Hague to face a charge of the crime against humanity of murder over his years-long campaign against drug users and dealers that rights groups said killed tens of thousands (archived link).
Victims’ families have welcomed the trial, while Duterte’s supporters believe he was “kidnapped” and sent to the Netherlands amid a falling out with the ruling Marcos family.
Demonstrators have gathered in different locations across the country, voicing support or opposition for the 79-year-old ex-leader, the first former Asian head of state charged by the International Criminal Court (archived here and here).
The video circulating online, however, does not show a prayer rally in Cebu for Duterte.
Read the full story on AFP Fact Check.