CLAIM: War on drugs victim Ephraim Escudero died before President Rodrigo Duterte’s election in 2016.
RATING: FALSE
A Facebook user criticized the family of drug war victim Ephraim Escudero, falsely claiming he died before President Rodrigo Duterte took office in 2016.
Flagged content: On Feb. 24, Facebook user Al Moralde posted a reel criticizing Sheera Escudero, Ephraim’s sister, for her statements regarding Duterte’s arrest by the International Criminal Court (ICC).
- The reel opened with a clip of an ABS-CBN News interview of Sheerah alongside other families of slain drug war victims during Duterte’s war on drugs.
- It then segued to a commentary by Moralde in Bisaya, calling out Sheerah for celebrating Duterte’s arrest.
Our debunk: 18-year old Ephraim was found dead in Pampanga in September 2017.
- His body was discovered hogtied, with his head wrapped in packaging tape, five days after he was reported missing
- Duterte took office in June 2016, seventeen months before Ephraim was found dead.
Rewind: Duterte was arrested by the ICC on March 11, 2025, and is awaiting trial at the Hague in the Netherlands.
- Duterte faces three counts of crimes against humanity relating to murder and attempted murder during his administration’s war on drugs.
Why we fact-checked this: As of writing, the reel has been shared 32,000 times and has gained over 7,600,000 views, 400,000 reactions, and 22,100 comments, most of which mock Sheerah for her pursuit of justice for her brother.
Spot the fake: Be cautious of claims presented as factual and definitive on social media, especially on serious matters such as those involving extrajudicial killings. Misinformation easily distorts public perception and evokes strong emotions toward subjects involved.
- A large follower count and a meta-verified account do not guarantee that all information they post is factual and credible.
- Always cross-verify claims with credible sources and don’t rely solely on short-form videos. Arianne Tadina
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FACT-CHECK: Vlogger falsely claims drug war victim died before Duterte’s term
A Facebook user criticized the family of drug war victim Ephraim Escudero, falsely claiming he died before President Rodrigo Duterte took office in 2016.
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