MANILA, Philippines — The government is probing the possibility of foreign elements being involved in the viral deepfake video of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. ordering military action against another country, said a Palace official on Thursday.
While the Presidential Communications Office (PCO) has not named the specific video, the now deleted YouTube channel Dapat Balita posted a video simulating Marcos ordering an attack on China against China.
According to PCO Assistant Secretary Wheng Hidalgo, government agencies are working to track down the persons or group responsible for the video.
“Ngayon nakikipag-ugnayan na ang PCO sa DICT(Department of Information Technology) at saka sa NSC (National Security Council) para doon sa imbestigasyon at nag-coordinate na rin sa Facebook, sa Google, sa lahat ng mga social media platforms, para matukoy kung sino ba ang gumawa nito, kasi baka hindi lang dito sa Pilipinas, baka may foreign intruders na gumawa nito, iyong may hackers na galing pa sa ibang bansa, so iniimbestigahan po iyan ng ating pamahalaan,” said Hidalgo on the Bagong Pilipinas Ngayon briefing.
(The PCO is coordinating with the DICT and the NSC for the investigation and coordination with Facebook and Google and all the social media platforms to determine who did this, because it may not just be in the Philippines, it could be a foreign intruder who did this, or hackers from another country so the government will investigate that.)
Hidalgo added that the timing of the deepfake was also alarming, as it came in the midst of the Balikatan exercises.
Hidalgo said that those who are not familiar with Marcos’ voice could mistake the deepfake as real. She asked the public to remain critical with the news that they hear, advising them to verify information with the PCO website.