Lanao del Sur 1st District Representative Zia Alonto Adiong has cautioned the public to expect a surge of deepfakes and online disinformation as impeachment proceedings against Vice President Sara Duterte advance in the House of Representatives.
Adiong said manipulated content and misleading narratives have become common in today’s political climate, noting that such tactics often emerge during major political developments.
“I already expect this. Some colleagues even joke with me about it. I just say, well, at least it provides income for those who work as trolls,” he remarked in an interview.
Earlier this week, the House Committee on Justice ruled that the two remaining impeachment complaints against Duterte were sufficient in form and substance. A formal notice was served to the Vice President on Thursday, giving her 10 days to respond.
Adiong urged Filipinos to be more cautious when consuming information online, stressing the importance of critical thinking when navigating social media.
“This is the reality now. But as citizens, we must be more discerning, more critical, and more careful in how we assess what we see on social media, because much of it is misleading or outright false,” he said.
Under the impeachment process, once Duterte files her response, complainants will have three days to submit their reply.
The Vice President will then be given another three days to file a rejoinder before the committee evaluates the submissions and supporting evidence to decide whether the case should proceed to formal hearings.