FACT-CHECK: Social media users spread Duterte death hoax

CLAIM: Multiple social media accounts claiming that former president Duterte had died. 

RATING:  FALSE

Multiple social media accounts falsely claimed that former president Rodrigo Duterte had died.

A Facebook post even falsely implied that the former president’s cremated remains had returned to the country.

A TikTok account also posted a photo carousel with an edited photo of the ex-president with wings and clouds behind his back, stating the same false claim.

Duterte was last seen publicly on March 14, when he joined virtually from the ICC Detention Centre during the pre-trial proceedings of his case for crimes against humanity at the ICC Headquarters in the Hague, Netherlands.

There are no official announcements regarding the former president’s passing either on his or his relatives’ official social media pages.

As of writing, the Facebook post has gained 17,000 reactions while the TikTok post has 4,685 likes. Vergel Villarba

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