Assistant Majority Leaders Zia Alonto Adiong (Lanao del 1st district, Lanao del Sur), Paolo Ortega (1st district, La Union), and Jay Khonghun (1st district, Zambales) have condemned on Friday, April 26 the "deepfake" clip of President Marcos that was clearly made to misinform the public and sow disaster.
House leaders slam fabrication of 'dangerous' Marcos deepfake clip
Apr 26, 2024 03:33 AM
At a glance
House of Representatives (Ellson Quismorio/ MANILA BULLETIN)
Ranking congressmen condemned on Friday, April 26 the "deepfake" clip of President Marcos that was clearly made to misinform the public and sow disaster.
Expressing this stance were House Assistant Majority Leaders Zia Alonto Adiong (Lanao del 1st district, Lanao del Sur), Paolo Ortega (1st district, La Union), and Jay Khonghun (1st district, Zambales).
Adiong described the audio deepfake, which featured a picture of Marcos, as a “deceptive manipulation”. He emphasized the need for a zero-tolerance stance against attempts to undermine democracy and sway public opinion.
“This audio deepfake is not just a fabrication; it’s a dangerous attempt to manipulate public perception and incite unwarranted actions. We cannot allow such malicious tactics to undermine the trust in our institutions,” he said.
Ortega echoed Adiong's sentiment, and said that the dissemination of falsified content strikes at the heart of the country’s democratic principles.
“The spread of manipulated content threatens the very fabric of our democracy. We must stand united in condemning these deceitful acts and demand accountability from those who seek to deceive the Filipino people,” Ortega said.
Meanwhile, Khonghun delivered a clarion call for action and urged immediate and decisive measures to address the escalating threat of digital manipulation.
“We stand at a pivotal moment in our fight against digital manipulation. We must act decisively to safeguard the sanctity of truth and protect our democracy from those who seek to undermine it," Khonghun said.
READ THIS:
The three solons--who belong to the “Young Guns” bloc in the House of Representatives--issued the joint statement following revelations by the Presidential Communications Office (PCO) of the manipulated audio circulating on popular streaming platforms.
In the fabricated clip, President Marcos was made to look like he had issued directives to the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) against a certain country.
The contents of the clip have been vehemently refuted by the PCO.