MANILA – The Supreme Court (SC) announced on Monday (17 Mar 2025) that it will take swift action against those spreading disinformation following the arrest of former President Rodrigo Duterte, who faces charges of crimes against humanity before the International Criminal Court (ICC).
In a statement, the SC condemned the circulation of a fabricated document on social media, particularly from Facebook accounts named “Choose Libungan” and “Bernard Flores Maicon.”
The false document, dated March 16, 2025, claims to be issued by the SC spokesperson and falsely states that the Court received a petition with 16 million signatures demanding President Marcos’ resignation.
“We categorically deny the authenticity of this document,” the SC said. “No such statement has been issued by the Supreme Court Spokesperson.”
The same accounts also falsely claimed that the SC en banc would meet on Monday to discuss the alleged petition. The SC denied these claims, stating, “The Supreme Court has not received any such petition, and no En Banc session is scheduled today for this matter.”
The high court further condemned previous false reports, including one from March 11, 2025, alleging that the SC issued a temporary restraining order. The SC vowed to investigate these incidents and take appropriate action, including potential sanctions against those responsible for the disinformation.
The Supreme Court urged the public to rely only on official announcements published on its official website (sc.judiciary.gov.ph) and verified social media accounts. It also warned against spreading unverified information and encouraged individuals to verify any claims before sharing them.
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