Manila 3rd district Rep. Joel Chua (PPAB)

Manila 3rd district Rep. Joel Chua said the individuals behind the President Marcos deepfake video--where the Chief Executive was allegedly doing drugs--should upload the video in the Philippines instead of showing it outside the country and its jurisdiction.

This was the challenge made by Chua on Tuesday, July 30, as he demanded accountability against the perpetrators for producing material that could destabilize the Marcos administration.

“Tsina-challenge po namin yung nagpapakalat nito na gawin nila dito sa Pilipinas. Kasi unang una ginagawa po nila to sa ibang bansa para mawalan po ng hurisdiksyon ang ating mga korte,” the lawmaker said.

(We are challenging those who are spreading this video to upload it here in the Philippines. They do it in other countries so that our courts won’t have any jurisdiction.)

“Kung totoo naman po na ito po ay talagang ginawa, ipa-authenticate po natin dito. Hindi po yung sinasabi nila na ipina-authenticate nila pero wala naman po silang pinakikita [na pruweba],” he added.

(If it's true that this was actually done, let's authenticate it here. Not in the way that they say it’s authenticated but they don't show any proof.)

The “polvoron” (a euphemism for illegal drugs) video, which was shown mere hours before Marcos’ State of the Nation Address (SONA) at the Hakbang ng Maisug event in the United States (US), seemingly depicts a younger Marcos partaking in illegal substances.

The Maisug event was organized by supporters of former president Rodrigo Duterte.

The Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) had dismissed the video as mere digital fabrication.

“I-upload po nila ito dito sa ating bansa, kasi umiiwas po sila obviously para makasuhan dahil wala pong jurisdiction ang ating bansa sa mga acts nila sa ibang bansa,” reiterated Chua.

(They should upload it here in our country, because they are obviously avoiding litigation since our country has no jurisdiction over their acts abroad.)

The Manila lawmaker said the deepfake video should be a “wake-up call” for the government to figure out a way to make liable those who are spreading defamation and other malicious information from other countries.

Earlier, a deepfake audio of President Marcos supposedly urging military action against China became a cause of concern for the national government.

Authorities said that a “foreign actor” could’ve been behind the fabricated audio.

Chua emphasized that instead of spreading malicious intent, political opponents of Marcos should just work for the good of the country.

“Ang dapat po kasi, ang gobyerno tinutulungan natin, lalong lalo na po kung ito po ay ginagawa naman po yung kanilang trabaho,” he continued.

(We should be helping the government, especially if it is doing its job.)