FACT CHECK: Sara Duterte not in handcuffs for grave threats arrest; circulating photo is altered

The altered photo was from her visit to Ateneo de Zamboanga University following the August 18 shooting incident

Claim: Vice President Sara Duterte was seen wearing handcuffs before posting bail as the Quezon City Regional Trial Court ordered her arrest on three counts of grave threat on September 4.

Rating: ALTERED

Why we fact-checked this: Multiple posts have used the photo and appeared to show that Duterte has finally been arrested and put in handcuffs before posting bail.

Facebook user Atty Joel Rodriguez Dizon, a Baguio-based lawyer, posted the photo with a caption that read, “She made bail. But I have to admit it does give you some measure of quiet satisfaction even for just a tiny moment to see this woman in handcuffs.”

The post has 4,400 reactions and 928 shares as of writing.

Facebook page Trendline PH also wrote in its post, “Be honest, how do you feel seeing her in handcuffs even just for a short while (because she was able to post bail)?”

User Tomboc Urbiztondo Ed posted it in a Facebook group, copied Dizon’s caption, then added: “Guys, nagbayad na ng bail si VP Sara Duterte. Bakit may posas pa siya? Sa mga 32 million na bumoto, guys, anong masasabi ninyo dito?”

(Guys, VP Sara Duterte has already posted bail. Why is she still in handcuffs? To the 32 million who voted for her—guys, what do you have to say about this?)

The other two posts garnered 1,046 reactions, 513 comments, and 78 shares.

The image, accompanied by similar captions, was likewise circulated by various other Facebook accounts and pages.

The facts: The original photo was from Duterte’s visit to Ateneo de Zamboanga University following the August 18 shooting incident. Duterte was not seen wearing handcuffs when she arrived at the Quezon City RTC Branch 98 to post bail.

Duterte shared photos of her school visit in a Facebook post, including the original version of the altered photo where she talked to university president Fr. Guillrey Andal and police officers.

Upon posting bail, Duterte told reporters she does “not feel safe” with the police personnel deployed in the court.

The court ordered Duterte’s arrest for three counts of grave threats in August following complaints from the National Bureau of Investigation over Duterte’s November 23, 2024, midnight press conference.

During that press conference, Duterte said she had already talked to someone who would kill President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., his wife, and Romualdez if she herself were killed.

Altered through AI: The photo was altered with the use of artificial intelligence (AI). AI detection tool SightEngine flagged it as 99% AI-generated, while HiveDetect said it is 59.7% likely to be AI.

Duterte’s impeachment trial: Duterte’s grave threats case is cited as the fourth article of impeachment, or cases against her, at the Senate impeachment court.

According to experts, Duterte’s case under the Quezon City RTC will not affect the ongoing impeachment trial because the impeachment process is different from criminal proceedings.

– Eirene Manatlao/Rappler.com 

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