This study investigates the responses of pro-Duterte political vloggers, commonly referred to as Diehard Duterte Supporters (DDS)—to the International Criminal Court's (ICC) investigation of the former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte. Grounded in Erving Goffman's theory of self-presentation, this explores how these vloggers construct and perform their public personas to defend Duterte and delegitimize international legal institutions. Employing qualitative content analysis as the principal methodological approach, it examines select ten (10) Filipino YouTube vloggers. The findings indicate that these vloggers engage in strategic framing, positioning themselves as patriotic truth-tellers while portraying the ICC as a biased and external threat to Philippine sovereignty. Their self-presentation is marked by performative nationalism, selective disclosure and emotionally charged rhetoric, all of which serve to bolster their credibility within the DDS community. Thus, it contributes to the broader understanding of how digital political actors employ self-presentation strategies to influence public discourse and sustain nationalist narratives amid international accountability efforts.

Authors:
Brent Soriano, Polytechnic University of the Philippines, Philippines
Nadeshya Valila, Polytechnic University of the Philippines, Philippines

About the Presenter(s)
Mr. Brent Soriano is currently an assistant professor at the Polytechnic University of the Philippines - Sta. Mesa, Manila. His research interests are archaeology, qualitative methods, ethnography, indigenous peoples, and diet and nutrition.

Connect on Linkedin
https://www.linkedin.com/in/brent-soriano

See this presentation on the full schedule – Thursday Schedule

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