“Duterte’s cultists are making sure the entire world sees just how far they will go to protect their disgraced leader”
THE DDS keyboard warriors are at it again. Same tactics, same shameless dishonesty.
Since Rodrigo Duterte’s rise to power in 2016, his digital attack dogs have followed a simple playbook: when the facts go against them, bury the truth under a pile of lies.
Now, as the former president faces the International Criminal Court for crimes against humanity, the Duterte propaganda machine is out in full force—spreading fake news, laughable conspiracy theories, and the usual ad hominem attacks.
Their methods would be hilarious if they weren’t so damaging. The man already dragged the Philippines’ reputation through the mud during his time in Malacañang. Now, his cultists are making sure the entire world sees just how far they will go to protect their disgraced leader.
On social media, they are in overdrive, churning out ridiculous claims.
According to their latest fiction, Duterte was “kidnapped” and forcibly taken to The Hague. The absurdity has even spawned fake quote cards from Queen Elizabeth II, who, despite being dead, has apparently issued statements condemning this so-called abduction.
Meanwhile, fictional lawyers from TV and movies—yes, fictional—have allegedly weighed in on Duterte’s innocence. What’s next? A statement from Dumbledore or Yoda? Maybe a legal analysis from Saul Goodman?
Even with their aggressive tactics, they fail to answer the most basic question: if Duterte is innocent, why resort to deception? If he has nothing to hide, why the need for fabricated narratives?
Why the sudden flood of social media bots parroting the same talking points? The answer is obvious. Because they know the truth will bury him.
This online barrage of disinformation has had real-world effects. ICC Presiding Judge Iulia Motoc, overwhelmed by the toxic harassment, deactivated her LinkedIn account.
Duterte’s trolls celebrated this as a victory, proving just how detached from reality they have become. They see themselves as warriors defending their idol. In truth, they are only solidifying his place in history—as a criminal whose followers couldn’t even defend him with facts.
But the misinformation campaign does not stop at the ICC. It has now reached the Philippine Supreme Court, with Duterte’s supporters spreading fake news about a supposed temporary restraining order on his arrest.
Another fabricated claim circulating online suggests that the Court accepted a petition to remove President Marcos Jr. from office.
These lies have forced the Supreme Court to publicly denounce them and promise legal action against those spreading false information. Imagine that—Duterte’s camp is so reckless, they are now making enemies out of the very institution that once shielded him.
And still, they persist. Every day, thousands of comments flood Facebook posts, TikTok videos, and YouTube channels, all parroting the same Duterte-apologist rhetoric.
It’s an endless cycle of historical revisionism, with the goal of whitewashing his crimes. Their desperation is palpable. They know that once Duterte is in the hands of the ICC, no amount of trolling will save him.
The real irony? Duterte’s supporters think they’re winning the information war. They dominate social media, drown out critics, and bully opponents into silence.
But in reality, they are ensuring that history remembers Duterte in the worst possible way—not because of lies, but because of the undeniable truth.
And when the dust settles, there won’t be a single quote card, fake or real, that can rewrite what he did.
No amount of social media propaganda will erase the damage he caused, the lives he destroyed, or the crimes he committed.
The world is watching, and the lies of his followers only ensure that Rodrigo Duterte’s fall from grace will be even more humiliating.
(Email: ernhil@yahoo.com)