Experts in digital media and artificial intelligence (AI) have debunked the authenticity of a viral video in July that depicted President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. using illegal drugs, Acting Presidential Communications Office (PCO) Secretary Cesar Chavez said.
The Deepfakes Analysis Unit (DAU), part of the India-based Misinformation Combat Alliance, found the video that circulated a day before the President’s third State of the Nation Address (SONA) had been heavily manipulated.
Independent fact-checking organization Vera Files verified the results, confirming that the video was a deepfake designed to discredit the President.
Chavez said the findings cleared Mr. Marcos of the malicious accusations and warned the public to remain cautious of fake content online.
Previously, the Philippine National Police (PNP) and the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) dismissed the video’s authenticity shortly after it surfaced. Video spectral analysis conducted by both agencies showed that key facial features, such as the tragal notch and antitragus, did not match the President’s.
The Cybercrime Investigation and Coordination Center (CICC) said it is taking a multi-pronged approach to address the growing number of online crimes in the Philippines, particularly scams, according to CICC Director Alex Ramos.
During a news forum in Quezon City on Saturday, Ramos emphasized the role of the SIM card registration law, enacted in 2022 to hold individuals accountable for criminal activities conducted through prepaid SIM cards.
Before the law was passed, law enforcement agencies had limited capabilities in tracing perpetrators using prepaid SIM cards.
“So the SIM card registration was implemented to remind everyone that we have accountability when we use technology like cell phones with SIM cards. We’re responsible for this, okay? It means it’s for personal use,” Ramos said.
Since the law’s implementation, hundreds of individuals have been apprehended, including those selling preregistered SIM cards and using fake accounts for fraudulent activities.
“The positive effect is clear: we are catching people,” Ramos said.
However, the CICC director highlighted that criminals are evolving alongside technology, citing many recent scam messages that no longer originate from traditional SIM servers.
“Criminals are studying how to exploit technological loopholes,” Ramos said, referencing a recent Interpol conference attended by 44 countries, where combating fast-evolving scam techniques was a critical issue.
“Almost all scam victims we’ve investigated had privacy settings that were either off or set to public, exposing personal information to scammers,” he added.
The official also acknowledged the rise of artificial intelligence (AI) as both a tool for productivity and a mechanism for criminal activity.
Editor’s Note: This is an updated article. Originally posted with the headline “Palace: Deepfake video targeting Marcos debunked by experts.”
