FALSE: Marcos paid ICC to detain Duterte

A post circulating on Facebook presents a supposed receipt that President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. paid the International Criminal Court to detain former president Rodrigo Duterte. 

CLAIM: The post claims that there is “proof” that Marcos paid ICC for the detention of Duterte, citing a supposed receipt from the Court for “prison cell rental”. The document alleges a payment subtotal of €30 billion, rising to €65 billion after a 100% “Justice Surcharge” and administrative fees. 

RATING: FALSE

CONCLUSION: No official receipt has been issued by the International Criminal Court; therefore, the document appears to have been altered and is misleading. The Court does not receive any payment to cover the detention costs of any individual detained. Expenses related to detention are part of the Court’s regular budget, approved by the Assembly of States Parties and funded by the States Parties to the Rome Statute. Detaining individuals is subject to judicial authorization and legal process under international law. 

The facts:

• The ICC operates as an independent judicial institution and does not charge fees or accept payments from governments in exchange for arrests, detention, or imprisonment. 
• Under the Rome Statute (Articles 113-118), all expenses of the ICC are paid from the Court’s official funds and not by any individual or government for specific cases. Funds primarily come from contributions made by member states, as approved in the budget by the Assembly of State Parties. Voluntary contributions may also be received, but the organization’s finances are subject to annual independent audits, ensuring transparency.
• The Court’s actions are based solely on legal processes under international law, grounded in the Rome Statute. Decisions made, such as detaining individuals, are only made after judicial authorization is issued by the judges. There is no paid agreement, as detainees are held under standardized conditions governed by the Court’s regulations.
• According to Vera Files Fact Check, the supposed proof receipt circulating online also showed mistakes, proving further that it’s fake.
  • The receipt is dated May 24, 2025, at 6:42 PM in CET or Central European Time. However, during this period, the Netherlands observes Central European Summer Time (CEST) every last Sunday of March until the last Sunday of October, making the stated time zone inaccurate.
  • The Court does not use the tagline “Justice knows no borders. Accountability is not optional,” which is shown as the ICC slogan in the receipt.
  • The label “DETAINEE-PRRD-001” is a clear inconsistency; official documentation from the ICC follows established case numbering formats tied to formal judicial proceedings (e.g., ICC-01/XX).