Deepfake audio falsely depicts Philippines President Marcos ordering military attack on China

Summary

On April 23, 2024, a fabricated audio clip circulated on YouTube depicting Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. ordering his armed forces to take action against China amid escalating South China Sea tensions. The clip spread just as the Philippines and US began the annual Balikatan military exercises involving over 16,000 troops. The Presidential Communications Office immediately debunked the recording, stating 'no such directive exists,' and attributed the deepfake to a foreign actor. Philippine authorities worked with agencies and private sector stakeholders to remove the content and announced they would file cases against those responsible. The incident illustrated how AI-generated audio can be weaponised to inflame geopolitical tensions during sensitive military periods.