A video of veteran Filipino actor and director Leo Martinez reciting a “president’s speech” has circulated online in posts falsely attributing the quote to ex-Philippine president Rodrigo Duterte, who is awaiting trial for his war on drugs at the International Criminal Court. In fact, part of the quote is from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s inaugural speech in 2019.
“This is what one president said when he took office. I hope our own politicians emulate this,” Leo Martinez can be heard saying at the start of a clip posted on YouTube on April 4 (archived link).
He then recites, “I don’t want my photographs in your offices because I am neither a God nor an icon, because I am a servant of the nation. Instead hang pictures of your children and look at them if you need to make a decision.”
“And if the temptation to steal ever arises, take a good look at your family’s picture and ask yourself if they deserve to be the family of a thief who has betrayed the nation.”
Overlaid text on the clip, which has been viewed more than two million times, labels Martinez’s narration as “Rodrigo Duterte’s speech”.
The same clip was shared across Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok by supporters of Duterte after his stunning arrest and transfer to the International Criminal Court where he stands accused of the crime against humanity of murder over his years-long campaign against drug users and dealers that rights groups said killed thousands (archived link).
Comments on Martinez’s clip show people believed he was quoting the former president.
“What a beautiful statement from an honest and brilliant president of our country, Rodrigo Roa Duterte,” one said.
“I am proud of PRRD,” another wrote, using Duterte’s initials. “He means what he says and he is truthful in serving the nation and its people.”
However, the “speech” quoted by Martinez was not by Duterte.
Multiple keyword searches found the first part of the speech is in fact by Ukrainian President Volodomyr Zelensky. He said it towards the end of his inaugural address in 2019 (archived link).
Read the full story on AFP Fact Check.