VP Sara Duterte Exposes Fake AI Photos of Father
Debunking Viral AI-Generated Photos
Vice President Sara Duterte has publicly addressed and refuted the authenticity of AI-generated photos circulating on social media that depict her father, former President Rodrigo Duterte, in a state of poor health. These images have surfaced amidst ongoing controversies about his condition while detained at The Hague, Netherlands.
Speaking in an interview on Tuesday, the Vice President was clear in her denial. “Hindi totoo ‘yung photo. Meron akong nakita na photo na…mukhang nasa hospital bed siya at meron siyang hospital bracelet, na nametag sa hospital. Hindi totoo ‘yung photo na ‘yun,” she stated. (The photo is not true. I saw a photo that looks like my father is on a hospital bed and he has a hospital bracelet and nametag of the hospital. That photo is not true.)
She emphasized that no official photos have been released from his detention cell, and contrary to the fabricated images, the former president is not weak. “Walang photo na lumalabas galing sa loob. But hindi din siya mahina, si dating Pangulong Rodrigo Duterte,” she added. (No photo coming out from his detention cell. But former President Rodrigo Duterte is not weak either.)
Clarifying Duterte's Health Condition
Previously, the Vice President had shared that her father has lost a significant amount of weight, describing him as being just “skin and bones.” She also revealed his wish that his remains be cremated if he were to pass away during his detention.
Despite his weight loss, Sara Duterte described the viral AI photos as “too much,” stressing they misrepresent his current state. “Mukha siyang ano diyan, malnourished…Ngayon, hindi siya mukhang malnourished, hindi siya mukhang mahina. Payat lang talaga siya,” she clarified. (He looks malnourished there. Currently, he doesn't look malnourished, he doesn't look weak. He's just really thin.)
Calls for Interim Release from Detention
On another front, Vice President Duterte expressed her gratitude to senators who are pushing for her father's interim release. While she deferred legal commentary to the lawyers, she confirmed, “the family is praying for interim release.”
Several of Duterte’s allies in the Senate have taken action. Senators Robin Padilla, Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa, and Bong Go have jointly filed a resolution urging the government to request an interim release in the form of house arrest at a private residence in The Hague.
Separately, Senator Alan Peter Cayetano filed another Senate resolution with a different proposal. His resolution calls for the Philippine government to negotiate with the International Criminal Court (ICC) for Duterte's custody to be transferred to the Philippine Embassy in The Hague under a form of house arrest or a similar arrangement.
The Legal Battle with the ICC
Former President Rodrigo Duterte has been in the custody of the ICC since March of this year, detained at Scheveningen Prison in The Hague. He faces charges of crimes against humanity connected to the alleged extrajudicial killings that occurred during his administration's war on drugs.
His legal team continues to argue that the ICC does not have jurisdiction over his case and is actively seeking his release. As they push for his freedom, they are also meticulously reviewing evidence provided by the Office of the Prosecution in preparation for the confirmation of charges hearing scheduled for September 23.
