Duterte’s ‘Invictus’ post draws hundreds of thousands of reactions

Former Philippine president Rodrigo Duterte’s “Invictus” Facebook post has drawn more than 727,000 reactions as of September 17, 2026.

A Facebook post from former Philippine president Rodrigo Duterte quoting William Ernest Henley’s “Invictus” has drawn more than 727,000 reactions and over 32,000 shares, less than a day after it was published.

Duterte’s official Facebook account shared his portrait alongside the poem on Wednesday (September 16), shortly after he made his first in-person appearance before the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague.

The post carried the caption: “Everything I did, I did it for my country.”

The social media post came as the ICC Trial Chamber III ruled that Duterte would remain detained at the ICC Detention Centre in The Hague. The chamber found that there were no changes in circumstances warranting his release.

Duterte, 81, is facing three counts of crimes against humanity linked to alleged killings in the Philippines between November 2011 and March 2019 in the context of his administration’s anti-drug campaign. He denies the allegations.

His trial is scheduled to begin on November 30.

Why ‘Invictus’?

The poem has previously been referenced by members of Duterte’s family in connection with his detention and legal proceedings.

His younger daughter, Veronica “Kitty” Duterte, previously quoted her father as saying: “If they ask how I’m doing, tell them… Invictus.”

The word “invictus” means unconquered or undefeated. Henley’s poem, written in the late 19th century, centres on themes of endurance and determination in the face of adversity.

Philippine Vice President Sara Duterte has also previously invoked the poem, referring to its phrase “bloodied but unbowed” during her own political and legal challenges.

Duterte’s Dubai connection

On March 12, 2025, the former president showed the same spirit as he was placed on a chartered flight that made a scheduled technical stop at Al Maktoum International Airport (DWC) while travelling to the Netherlands following his arrest and transfer to ICC custody.

The planned one-hour stopover was extended by several hours because of flight clearance delays, according to Philippine missions in the UAE. Duterte was travelling on a chartered aircraft operated by Challenger Aero Air Corporation, accompanied by former executive secretary Salvador Medialdea, a nurse and a personal assistant.

His daughter, Philippine Vice President Duterte, also travelled through Dubai that day, arriving on an Emirates flight from Manila before continuing to Amsterdam.

Duterte’s second and latest appearance at the ICC on Wednesday marks another stage in the proceedings that began after his transfer to The Hague in March 2025. With the trial scheduled for November, his “Invictus” post has become one of the latest widely shared messages from his official social media account. ICA/CAM/Expat Media