Disinformation Deep Dive: AI Fuels Political Feuds in the Philippines
The Philippines’ political landscape is facing a new and potent weapon: artificial intelligence-powered disinformation. As tensions escalate between former President Rodrigo Duterte and incumbent Ferdinand Marcos Jr., both camps are leveraging AI to manipulate narratives, discredit rivals, and sway public opinion. This escalation is creating a chaotic online environment and raising serious concerns about the future of truth and democracy in the country.
The case of Sheerah Escuerdo, whose brother Ephraim was a victim of Duterte’s controversial war on drugs, exemplifies the devastating impact of this technology. Following Escuerdo’s public support for Duterte’s arrest by the International Criminal Court (ICC), a pro-Duterte influencer circulated a deepfake video featuring a computer-generated image of Ephraim claiming he was alive and accusing his sister of lying. The video rapidly spread across social media, subjecting Escuerdo to a barrage of harassment and online hate. This incident highlights the potential of AI-generated content to not only distort reality but also to inflict emotional harm on individuals and families.
Escuerdo’s experience is not isolated. Numerous victims of the drug war, their families, and their legal representatives have reported being targeted by relentless online disinformation campaigns. The National Union of People’s Lawyers (NUPL), representing a group of drug war victims, publicly condemned the “online hate” directed at these individuals, particularly widows, mothers, and daughters, aimed at silencing their voices. Both NUPL and the victims’ group, Rise Up, have formally requested a government investigation into the escalating online harassment. These attacks underscore the vulnerability of already marginalized groups to further victimization through digitally fabricated narratives.
The strategic deployment of disinformation appears particularly prevalent within the Duterte camp, aimed at rehabilitating both the former president’s and his daughter Sara’s public images, particularly in the lead-up to the 2025 midterm elections. Danilo Arao, a mass media expert, suggests the Duterte camp will utilize any means necessary, including manipulating facts, to achieve their political objectives. This manipulation includes falsely claiming the ICC granted Duterte interim release, a request that was actually denied. This disinformation is further disseminated by influential figures like Senator Ronald Dela Rosa, who shared an AI-generated video on his Facebook page, garnering millions of views before it was removed. While Vice President Sara Duterte defended the video’s dissemination, experts warn such actions normalize the use of disinformation and contribute to a dangerous erosion of public trust.
The proliferation of disinformation is deeply concerning to Filipinos. A recent Reuters Digital News report revealed that a record number of Filipinos, almost 70%, express heightened concern about the spread of false or misleading information online. Fact-checking organizations like Tsek.ph are struggling to keep pace. Their analysis shows that fact-checking efforts related to Duterte’s ICC arrest significantly outnumber those related to other news, including allegations of corruption against Sara Duterte. This highlights the sheer volume of disinformation circulating online and the challenge of combating its spread effectively.
While the government established a task force in 2022 to address disinformation and AI misuse, the situation has worsened, particularly with the escalating rivalry between the Marcos Jr. and Duterte factions. Tsek.ph documented a significant increase in the use of AI in disinformation leading up to the 2023 midterm elections. They found that nearly a third of the altered claims they analyzed likely employed deepfake technology. Experts warn this trend represents a dangerous evolution in disinformation tactics, leveraging the power of AI to manipulate and distort reality with unprecedented ease and effectiveness. This presents a grave challenge for democratic processes and public discourse.
The use of AI in Philippine politics isn’t limited to content creation; it’s increasingly being deployed for strategic planning and campaign management. An OpenAI Safety Report revealed that a Manila-based tech firm, Comm&Sense, employed AI for a pro-Marcos Jr. and anti-Duterte campaign, generating content, analyzing political trends, and even drafting PR strategies. This sophisticated use of AI marks a shift from reliance on traditional troll armies and demonstrates the growing potential for AI to shape political narratives and manipulate public discourse.
While the Philippines has pending legislation regarding responsible AI use, experts stress the importance of incorporating both technical and ethical considerations into policy development. However, there’s skepticism about the political will to enact meaningful regulation, given the potential benefits some politicians derive from the current unregulated environment. The challenge lies in balancing the benefits of AI with the urgent need to protect against its misuse for political manipulation and the erosion of democratic principles. This requires a concerted effort from both policymakers and the public to ensure a future where technology serves the interests of truth and democratic participation.
