An AI-generated photo showing a sculpture of former president Rodrigo Duterte in the Netherlands has circulated online following his proclamation as newly elected Davao City mayor, with some netizens mistaking it to be real.
The Facebook page Muslim Filipino, Ngayon, posted the image on May 15 with the caption:
ART made by Netherland People
The use of artificial intelligence was subtly indicated through the #AI hashtag, though the post itself did not clarify that the image was digitally generated, leading some commenters to thank people in the Netherlands for creating the sculpture.
The image itself contains visual inconsistencies, including distorted faces and hands, common indicators of AI manipulation.
A Google reverse image search shows that the buildings in the background closely resemble structures found in Amsterdam, the Netherlands, particularly along streets like Prinsengracht and Bloemgracht.
Meanwhile, three AI detection tools–Hive AI, Sightengine and WasItAI–each assessed the image as 99% likely or “very confident” to be AI-generated.
Duterte is detained in The Hague, the Netherlands, awaiting trial before the International Criminal Court for crimes against humanity resulting from his anti-drug campaign. His confirmation of charges hearing is scheduled to begin on Sept. 23.
The AI-generated photo has garnered around 217,000 reactions, 22,000 comments and 9,900 shares as of press time.
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Editor’s Note: Interaksyon is a founding member of Tsek.ph, the first inter-organizational fact-checking coalition in the Philippines. It reposts fact-checks from partner newsrooms and groups published on the Tsek.ph website.
