FACT CHECK: Duterte will not be sent to Japan after Marcoleta-Fujiki meeting

Claim: Former president Rodrigo Duterte will be sent to Japan following a viral encounter between Senator Rodante Marcoleta and Japanese national Shunichi Fujiki of the of the International Career Support Association.

Rating: FALSE

Why we fact-checked this: The claim appeared on a Facebook page posing as a news outlet with 51,000 followers. As of writing, the post making the claim has 275 likes, 42 comments, and 15 shares.

Text overlaid on the photo reads: “PRRD uuwi sa Japan? Kumilos si Marcoleta. Tumawa na si Marcoleta? Welcome to Japan?”

(PRRD returning to Japan? Marcoleta made a move. Marcoleta even laughed? Welcome to Japan?)

The post also includes a link in the comment section directing readers to the full article being referenced. Some users also appear to believe the claim, as reflected in top comments supporting the supposed transfer. One comment states, “Mabuti pa ang ibang lahi… doon dalhin si FPRRD… salamat sa pagtulong, Sir, God bless the Philippines and the Japanese national.” 

(Other nationalities are better than us. Bring FPRRD there. Thank you for your help, Sir. God bless the Philippines and the Japanese national.)

The facts: Duterte is not being sent to Japan following the meeting between Marcoleta and Fujiki. No statement has been issued by the Philippine government, the Japanese government, the International Criminal Court (ICC), or any authorized office confirming such a claim. 

Also, there is no legal, diplomatic, or procedural basis for any transfer or relocation of the former president to Japan. Under the Rome Statute, custody changes require ICC judicial approval, proof of no flight risk, and an accepting host country; so far, no country has agreed to receive Duterte under these conditions, with past attempts failing due to compliance concerns.

The claim appears to stem from a reported meeting in Japan between Marcoleta and Fujiki on April 6, 2026, which focused on Duterte’s ICC case and an upcoming conference involving the Filipino community and Japan’s House of Councillors.

The interpellation referenced in the post likely alluded to Fujiki’s remarks at the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) on March 11, 2026, where he called for a “humanitarian review” and interim release of Duterte. However, these statements are advocacy-based and carry no authority over ICC proceedings, which remain solely under the jurisdiction of the court.

Fujiki’s credibility has been questioned by human rights activist and former journalist Carlos Conde, who described him as a Japanese nationalist activist and businessman rather than a human rights researcher. Conde also cited Fujiki’s history of denying wartime atrocities, including attempts to downplay or erase testimonies of “comfort women,” and warned that his intervention at the UNHRC distorts the purpose of the forum. 

ICC detention: Duterte is currently facing crimes against humanity charges before the ICC, with key decisions on whether the case will proceed to full trial expected by the end of April 2026. (READ: Will there be a Duterte trial? ICC decision due by end of April)

The ICC Pre-Trial Chamber is set to rule on the confirmation of charges, which will decide if there are substantial grounds to believe Duterte was an indirect co-perpetrator in alleged killings linked to his bloody drug war. Separately, the Appeals Chamber is expected to issue a decision by the end of April on his jurisdictional challenge, which contests the ICC’s authority after the Philippines withdrew from the court in 2019. 

If confirmed, the case will proceed to trial, although hearings are not expected to begin immediately and may take until late 2026 due to preparation requirements. – Marjuice Destinado/Rappler.com

Marjuice Destinado is a senior political science student at Cebu Normal University (CNU) and an alumna of the Aries Rufo Journalism Fellowship of Rappler for 2025.

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