AI-generated videos featuring fake Filipinos debating Sara Duterte’s impeachment went viral in the Philippines, raising concerns about misinformation and the impact of deepfake technology on politics.

According to The Indian Express report , The Philippines is witnessing a new kind of political drama. AI fakes – videos created by artificial intelligence showing fake people – are now being used to influence public opinion about Vice President Sara Duterte’s impeachment. This shocking development has experts worried about how technology can manipulate democracy. Meanwhile millions of viewers don’t realize they’re watching digital characters, not real humans.

What Are AI Fakes?

AI fakes, also known as deepfakes, are videos created using artificial intelligence tools that can generate realistic-looking people who don’t actually exist. These videos use artificial intelligence to generate digital humans that look and sound genuine but are completely fictional.

The Viral Videos that Fooled Millions as Sara Duterte’s Fake Video

After the Philippine Senate decided not to proceed with Sara Duterte’s impeachment trial, two suspicious videos started spreading on social media. Both videos appeared to show ordinary Filipinos discussing the impeachment controversy.

The first video featured what looked like a schoolboy in uniform questioning why the vice president was being targeted. The second showed an elderly fish seller criticizing senators for protecting powerful politicians while punishing poor people quickly.

The unknown creator of the schoolboy video claimed the opinions expressed were based on real students’ views, but the “student” himself was entirely AI-generated character.

The creator of the fish seller video, Bernard Senocip, revealed it took him just 5 minutes to produce the eight-second clip.

“Using AI characters allows people to express opinions without facing harsh online criticism,” Senocip explained. While he labeled the video as AI-generated on TikTok.

But, the shocking truth is neither person in these videos was real. Both were deepfake videos created using Google’s Veo.

Political Impact of AI-Generated Content

These AI fakes had real political consequences. Senator Ronald dela Rosa, a Sara Duterte ally, shared the schoolboy video and praised the “youth’s” political understanding. Sebastian Duterte, the vice president’s brother, claimed the video proved young Filipinos opposed the impeachment.

When the truth came out, Sara Duterte and her supporters weren’t bothered. The vice president stated there was no problem sharing AI videos as long as they weren’t used for profit. But this response has alarmed experts who worry about the normalization of fake content in political discourse.

Why Experts Are Concerned

Misinformation experts warn that AI-generated videos can create serious problems for democracy:

Jose Mari Lanuza from Sigla Research Center explains that these videos can make certain opinions seem more popular than they actually are, increasing distrust in lawmakers and democratic processes.

Jose Miguelito Enriquez from Nanyang Technological University points out that while some AI companies ban creating deepfakes of real people, making fake “ordinary citizens” falls into a gray area.

Dominic Ligot, founder of Data and AI Ethics PH, warns that tools like Veo are making it easier to create realistic fake humans. He fears AI is increasingly being used to manipulate public emotions and distort democratic discussions.

How to Spot AI Fakes

While these videos looked convincing, they contained subtle clues revealing their artificial nature:

• Unnaturally smooth hair texture
• Garbled or unclear text in backgrounds
• Subtle watermarks from AI tools

However, these signs are easy to miss, especially when videos are viewed quickly on social media.

As these type of cases are rapidly increasing, we need to protect ourselves from it. The AI technology rapidly advances, experts demand stronger safeguards against misuse. While some companies protect public figures from deepfakes, creating fake ordinary people remains largely unregulated.

Dominic Ligot (founder of Data and AI Ethics PH), warns that tools like Google’s Veo are making it increasingly easy to create realistic fake humans. “AI is being used to influence public feelings, pressure decision-makers, and distort democratic discussions“, he said.

Google hasn’t responded to questions about what protections exist for their Veo tool, highlighting the urgent need for better oversight.

What This Means for Democracy

The Sara Duterte impeachment controversy shows how AI can be weaponized to manipulate public opinion. When millions of people can be fooled by five-minute fake videos, the very foundation of informed democratic debate is at risk.

As artificial intelligence becomes more powerful and accessible, the Philippines – and the world – must act quickly to prevent misinformation from undermining democracy itself.