Malacañang has called on public officials to exercise caution and responsibility when sharing content online, especially after two prominent figures—Senator Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa and Davao City Mayor Sebastian “Baste” Duterte—were criticized for posting an AI-generated video on social media.
Palace Press Officer Claire Castro, speaking at a media briefing on Monday, stressed the danger of misinformation when it comes from government leaders.
“Disinformation and fake news should not be coming from government officials. It is concerning and erodes trust even more when such content is shared by high-ranking officials themselves,” Castro said in Filipino.
The video in question featured an AI-generated interview with two students expressing support for Vice President Sara Duterte while rejecting her impeachment. It carried a #AI hashtag, yet both officials reposted it. Dela Rosa even included a comment applauding the youth and taking a swipe at critics: “Buti pa ang mga bata, nakakaintindi sa mga pangyayari. Makinig kayo, mga dilawan at komunista!”
Mayor Duterte has since removed the video from his page. Dela Rosa’s post, however, remains live as of writing.
Castro emphasized that leaders have a duty to verify information before sharing it: “This is their responsibility. Because every word they say is seen and heard as truth by many people.”
She added that the least they can do now is to acknowledge the content they shared was false: “Now that it’s already out there, the least they can do is admit it’s not real.”
