Absence of Supreme Court Arrest Warrant for Marcos Verified
Claim Debunked: In a viral video, it's claimed that the Supreme Court has issued an arrest warrant for President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. following a testimony by Vice President Sara Duterte. Verdict: FALSE
Why the Check: This false claim has been circulating on social media, attracting 30,283 views, 1,300 likes, and 196 comments. The video in question uses the pseudonym "Pangulong Kuting Jr" for Marcos, a nickname popularized by pro-Duterte vlogger Maharlika since 2023.
The truth is, the Supreme Court has not issued an arrest warrant for Marcos, who enjoys immunity from suit during his term as a sitting president. Retired SC senior associate justice Antonio Carpio confirmed that the President "enjoys immunity from suit and cannot be investigated or prosecuted for any criminal offense" while in office. This was also affirmed in the High Court's decisions in De Lima v. Duterte and David v. Macapagal-Arroyo.
The video does not provide any concrete details about the alleged case against Marcos or Duterte's supposed testimony. Instead, it focuses on criticizing the Department of Justice's actions against doomsday preacher Apollo Quiboloy.
The Rift: The false claim emerged during an ongoing feud between Marcos and Duterte, with the Vice President becoming increasingly vocal in her criticism of Marcos. Her hostile remarks reached a peak when she appeared before a midnight press briefing on November 23, where she made threatening statements against Marcos, First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos, and House Speaker Martin Romualdez.
Duterte's threats came after a House panel ordered the transfer of her chief of staff, Zuleika Lopez, to a women's correctional facility in Mandaluyong. Lopez was placed in detention for her evasive answers during a probe into alleged misuse of funds by Duterte, which included irregularities in the Office of the Vice President's confidential fund disbursements for 2022 and 2023, as well as allegations of bribery when she was an education secretary.
Marcos's Response: Marcos condemned Duterte's threat, calling her words "disturbing." Malacañang confirmed that the Presidential Security Command had heightened its security protocols and would act on the Vice President's "active threat."
Ramon Franco Verano, a history student at the University of Santo Tomas who is a graduate of our website's volunteer program, fact-checked this claim. This fact check was reviewed by a member of our website's research team and a senior editor.
- Despite the viral video claiming politics involving President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and Vice President Sara Duterte, recent events in General-news suggest that the Supreme Court has not issued an arrest warrant for Marcos, as he currently enjoys immunity from suit during his term as a sitting president.
- In the midst of the ongoing feud between Marcos and Duterte, the false claim about a Supreme Court arrest warrant for Marcos surfaced, attracting significant attention on social media. However, the actual General-news highlights the ongoing controversy over fund misuse allegations against Duterte, with her chief of staff in detention as a result.
