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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider Metro Manila devider Pasig City warns public vs deepfake videos of Mayor Vico

Pasig City warns public vs deepfake videos of Mayor Vico

Published Apr 6, 2026 11:10 am
The Pasig City government clarified on Sunday, April 5, that Mayor Vico Sotto will never endorse any investment or platform, countering the Artificial Intelligence (AI) or deepfake videos circulating online that use his voice and image.
Some screenshots of messages received by Mayor Vico Sotto regarding AI-generated videos featuring him. (Photo from Mayor Vico Sotto)
Some screenshots of messages received by Mayor Vico Sotto regarding AI-generated videos featuring him. (Photo from Mayor Vico Sotto)
“Hindi kailanman mag-eendorso nang anumang investment o platform si Mayor Vico (Mayor Vico Sotto will never endorse any investment or platform),” it reminded.
It warned the public to remain vigilant, especially amid the growing spread of AI-generated fake videos and deepfakes online.
“Maging mapagmatyag at manatiling maingat sa mga ganitong modus sa lahat ng pagkakataon (Be vigilant and remain cautious against this kind of modus at all times)," it said.
Sotto also expressed concern for potential victims after he posted messages he had received from people regarding videos that used his face, noting that some individuals could be persuaded to invest large amounts of money.
“Kawawa ang mga biktima!!! Nagkalat ang ganitong uri ng fake/AI-generated videos. Minsan mukha nang totoo. Yung audio, tunog totoo na rin (I feel sorry for the victims. These kinds of fake or AI-generated videos are everywhere. Sometimes, they already look real. Even the audio sounds real too),” the mayor said.
He further cited that online financial crime has now now bigger than the illegal drug trade worldwide.
“Kaya please, mag-iingat po tayo. May investment scam. Uso pa rin ang love scam. May iba naman na hindi scam per se pero panloloko/illegal pa rin kagaya ng AI video bilang promo ng gambling website (So please, let us be careful. Investment scams are still around. Love scams are also common. There are others that may not be scams per se but are still deceptive or illegal, such as AI videos used to promote gambling websites),” Sotto stated.
He warned that the frightening thing is that AI and these scams will continue to improve, saying, “Sunod nito, may magvi-video call sa atin na kamukha at kaboses ng kakilala natin (Next, someone might video call us using the face and voice of someone we know).”
Sotto urged the public to raise awareness about these scams, especially among family members who may be more vulnerable.

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