AUTHORITIES have arrested two suspects in Angeles City, Pampanga for their alleged involvement in an investment scam that used a manipulated video of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to lure victims.
The suspects were apprehended in a coffee shop during an entrapment operation conducted by the Philippine National Police – Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (PNP-CIDG). They were caught after receiving marked money representing a portion of over P20 million they were expecting from their victims.
One victim, Dr. Marie Faith Sagun-Villarta, said she was persuaded to invest after the suspects showered her with expensive gifts, including a bag, a watch, and two vehicles, which they falsely claimed were gifts from the President. The suspects told her that the investments were needed to fund political campaigns and would yield dividends of 20% to 30% after the elections. Over the course of a year, Sagun-Villarta gave the suspects P93 million.
Sagun-Villarta said the scam caused her to become estranged from her family. The suspects are now facing charges for estafa, or swindling, through false pretenses or fraudulent acts in relation to cybercrime.
Palace Press Officer Undersecretary Atty. Claire Castro condemned the use of deepfake technology to deceive the public. “Anyone can see the difference between the President’s speech pattern and the individual in the subject video. It is without a doubt a deepfake… an AI generated video,” Castro said. She urged those creating such videos to stop trying to discredit the President and instead contribute to the country’s progress.
