AI-Manipulated Video Distorts VP Sara's Counsel's Opening Statement

In the Philippines, an AI-manipulated video falsely claiming Vice President Sara Duterte’s legal counsel demanded immediate proof from prosecutors during her impeachment trial opening statement has been debunked. The video, uploaded on July 10 by a Facebook user, garnered over 3.1 million views, indicating its wide reach. It depicted Sheila Sison, lead counsel for the Vice President, confronting the prosecution with statements such as, “Prove your allegations with evidence. You cannot just make accusations without proof. This is a serious matter! Present your evidence now!” However, Rappler’s fact-check revealed that Sison did not make such statements. The video was manipulated using artificial intelligence (AI). AI content detection tools indicated a high probability (92%) that the video was AI-generated. While Sison cited the legal principle of the burden of proof in her opening statement, the video distorted her actual words. Her exact statement was: “But what we must not forget amid all these accusations is the fundamental legal principle that the burden of proof never shifts. He who accuses must prove his allegations with evidence that meets not only the degree of proof required but also meets the evidentiary standards of admissibility, credibility, relevance, materiality, and competence.” This was also reflected in the Senate’s official journal of the July 6 impeachment trial. The burden of proof refers to the “duty of a party to present evidence on the facts in issue necessary to establish his claim or defense by the amount of evidence required by law,” as cited in a Supreme Court resolution on revised rules on evidence. In her opening statement, Sison also said the underlying principle for this burden of proof is the presumption of innocence, meaning an accused person is assumed innocent until proven otherwise. Vice President Duterte is on trial for alleged misuse of confidential funds, unexplained wealth, bribery of public officials, and death threats against President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., First Lady Liza Araneta Marcos, and former House Speaker Martin Romualdez. (LIST: The 4 articles of impeachment vs VP Sara Duterte) Since the trial began on July 6, several key prosecution witnesses have testified around alleged irregularities in the Office of the Vice President’s (OVP) liquidation of confidential funds. A former Landbank manager stated it was “unusual” for them to see an encashment of P125 million, and an OVP assistant chief of staff confirmed the office’s request for such funds before having a written plan. During the 21st day of the trial on September 2, former Department of Education spokesperson and chief of staff Michael Poa took the witness stand, where he faced questions on the agency’s confidential funds, including its use of certifications from the Armed Forces of the Philippines to explain its fund utilization before the Commission on Audit. Debunked: Rappler has previously fact-checked claims related to the ongoing impeachment trial of the Vice President: FACT CHECK: VP Sara impeachment ongoing, not ‘dismissed’ over Landbank testimony FACT CHECK: No SC order blocking 2026 impeachment proceedings vs Duterte FACT CHECK: No DOJ, SC order to stop Duterte impeachment; trial ongoing FACT CHECK: No SC order junking current impeachment proceedings vs VP Sara FACT CHECK: No, the NBI did not launch an ‘attack’ on VP Sara – Eunicito Barreno/Rappler.com Eunicito Barreno is a 2026 Aries Rufo Fellow. He is a senior journalism student at the University of the Philippines Diliman, where he is also news staffer at the Philippine Collegian, the university’s official student publication. Keep us aware of suspicious Facebook pages, groups, accounts, websites, articles, or photos in your network by contacting us at [email protected]. Let us battle disinformation one Fact Check at a time.