Synthetic Lies, Real Stakes: Duterte’s Reckless Dance with Lies

By Louis ‘Barok‘ C. Biraogo — June 18, 2025

A viral video sparks a firestorm: two “students” passionately defend Vice President Sara Duterte against impeachment. Shared by her loyalists, Senator Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa and Davao City Mayor Sebastian “Baste” Duterte, it explodes to 7.6 million views on Facebook. But the students are phantoms, conjured by artificial intelligence, tagged #AI with a “Veo” watermark. When the truth unravels, Sara Duterte doesn’t flinch. Instead, she delivers a chilling manifesto: “No problem if it’s not for profit.”

In a Davao City press conference, Duterte’s words ignite a crisis that threatens to shatter the Philippines’ democratic foundations. Her cavalier defense of AI fakery—non-commercial lies are harmless—unleashes a torrent of outrage, with the Palace decrying eroded trust and netizens exposing official incompetence. This isn’t just a scandal; it’s a high-stakes showdown between truth and manipulation, with the nation’s future hanging by a thread.

Fakery Goes Viral: The Scandal That Shook Manila

Imagine the audacity: Dela Rosa, a senator and former police chief, posts an AI-generated video praising “kids” who “understand what’s happening,” taunting critics as “yellows and communists.” The hashtag #AI screams from the caption, yet he misses it entirely. Netizens swarm, their comments a mix of mockery and dismay: “A senator can’t spot a fake?” Dela Rosa dismisses them as “trolls,” later backtracking: the message, not the medium, matters.

Mayor Baste Duterte, Sara’s brother, shares the same clip but deletes it after the backlash, a silent admission of guilt—or fear. Their blunders expose a grim truth: even the powerful are either duped by AI’s allure or complicit in its deceit.

Then comes Sara Duterte’s bombshell. Surrounded by reporters, she shrugs off the controversy: “If I were a social media account owner and created AI to support a personality, there wouldn’t be a problem. I’m not selling it.” Her logic is as bold as it is dangerous: profit, not truth, is the ethical boundary. The Palace, in a rare slap, retorts: “Officials sharing synthetic media erode trust” Inquirer.net. In a nation scarred by disinformation, the battle lines are drawn.

Truth Under Siege: Duterte’s Lies vs. Reality’s Defenders

Duterte’s defense hinges on three shaky claims, each collapsing under scrutiny:

“Free Expression” Mirage: She frames AI sharing as a democratic right. But is this grassroots support or a veiled weapon for disinformation? The Philippines’ Duterte-era propaganda machine—infamous for “nanlaban” narratives excusing killings—suggests a darker motive. AI isn’t a voice; it’s a factory for fabricated loyalty.
“Non-Commercial = Safe” Fallacy: Duterte insists free AI fakes are harmless. Yet a 2024 *East Asia Forum* study warns that AI disinformation thrives in the Philippines’ polarized, low-trust landscape. The 7.6 million views of Dela Rosa’s post prove it: a lie doesn’t need a price tag to poison discourse.
“AI’s Just a Tool” Delusion: She calls AI neutral. Neutral? Ask the victims of U.S. deepfake robocalls or European smear campaigns. In the Philippines, where social media fuels political wars, AI is a digital bazooka. The Duterte dynasty, masters of online manipulation, knows its power all too well.

The resistance is fierce. Netizens rage on X: “How can Dela Rosa vote on impeachment if he falls for fakes?” Philstar.com. The Palace’s warning cuts to the bone: when leaders blur reality, why trust institutions? Flip the script—imagine AI faking Duterte confessing to corruption. Would her “no problem” stance survive? Her silence betrays the hypocrisy.

AI’s Assault on Democracy: A Global Plague Hits Home

This isn’t Manila’s fight alone—it’s a global war. In the U.S., AI mimicked Biden’s voice to suppress votes. In Europe, deepfakes have stoked extremist conspiracies. But the Philippines is a perfect storm: only 54% of adults are media-literate, and its politics are a cauldron of Marcos-era propaganda and Duterte-style populism. AI fakes aren’t just a spark; they’re a Molotov cocktail.

The timing is sinister. Duterte’s impeachment, remanded to the House for a July 2025 verdict Rappler, looms large. Dela Rosa, a senator with a vote, shared a video crafted to sway hearts and minds. Was it a rehearsal for AI jury tampering? The East Asia Forum flags AI’s power to “manipulate legislative processes” with synthetic floods. Unchecked, this could reduce democracy to a scripted algorithm.

Duterte’s own words indict her. In 2023, she pondered AI for speech editing, confessing it “evokes fear” . By 2025, fear has morphed into opportunism. Her shift mirrors a global trend: politicians wielding AI’s might while dodging its menace. The 2024 “polvoron video,” a deepfake smearing President Marcos by pro-Duterte influencers, foreshadows an all-out disinformation war.

Reclaiming Reality: A Blueprint to Save Truth

The Philippines teeters on a precipice, but solutions exist:

For Leaders: Enforce mandatory AI disclaimers, with suspensions for officials who spread unlabeled fakes. Dela Rosa’s fiasco demands accountability.
For Platforms: Facebook must ban unmarked AI political ads and demote manipulative content. X should elevate verified voices over bots.
For Citizens: Demand transparency from leaders—or brace for a world where every video is suspect. Fund media literacy now, before the next AI lie swings an election.

The Final Blow: Truth’s Last Stand

Sara Duterte wants us to swallow a bitter pill: AI fakery is fine if it props her up. But in a world where truth bends to the slickest algorithm, the cost isn’t in pesos—it’s the death of the public square. As impeachment looms and democracy trembles, the Philippines must choose: confront this digital deception or surrender to a future where reality is just another hashtag.