Gen. Jose Melencio C. Nartatez, Jr., chief of the Philippine National Police (PNP), reminded policemen to observe strict boundaries on the use of artificial intelligence (AI) while warning the public to refrain from making deceptive videos that could damage the organization.
The warning came after a viral video of policemen falsely depicted as misbehaving in a fast-food restaurant, which the PNP’s Anti-Cybercrime Group discovered to be AI-generated.
Nartatez said deepfakes which falsely depict police personnel are being flagged as direct threats to the organization's integrity and the public's trust.
“These deepfakes are designed to look and sound like us to manipulate public opinion. We won’t allow technology to be used as a tool to mock the uniform or deceive the people,” said Nartatez.
He, however, clarified that the use of AI tools is not entirely prohibited for officers but it is tightly controlled.
“While we encourage digital transformation, we should be mindful of the use of AI for ‘clout‑chasing’ contents that could damage the image of the PNP as an organization,” said Nartatez.
The PNP has an existing Memorandum Circular No. 2024‑077 that regulates social media content creation by its personnel.
Under the memorandum order, officers in uniform are allowed to produce vlogs only if the content is related to official police activities. Only personnel assigned to police community relations (PCR) offices or units, including those authorized by the Directorate for Police Community Relations (DPCR), are authorized to use police uniforms, equipment, and facilities for content creation.
Other officers not assigned to PCR units may create content outside official hours but they must follow social media policies. Notably, they are prohibited from wearing the uniform or using police equipment and facilities in their posts.
The memorandum also strictly bans livestreaming or vlogging official events, police camps, and offices on personal accounts for security reasons.
Nartatez noted that the PNP-ACG is actively patrolling online spaces for misleading content and working around the clock to take down false videos.