AI-Generated Video Spreads False Claim of Marcos Saying Romualdez's Arrest Was a 'Show'

A video circulating on social media claims President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. told his cousin, House Speaker Martin Romualdez, that his arrest was a 'show' and that he would be acquitted as long as he remained silent. However, the video has been identified as AI-generated disinformation. The clip was posted on Facebook by the page “Jz Plays” and spread with hashtags like “BBM vs Romualdez palabas” (BBM vs Romualdez, a show). In the video, Romualdez is shown asking, “Cousin, what is this? Why are you having me arrested?” Marcos replies, “That’s just a show, cousin, like what we did with [former public works secretary Manuel] Bonoan. It’s only a hospital arrest, but in the end, you’ll still be acquitted, just don’t talk, okay?” Both men then laugh. The same clip was reposted by another user with the caption, “This is really what’s happening, mark my words.” As of writing, the two posts have garnered over 160,000 views and 4,000 reactions combined. AI detection tool Hive Moderation revealed that the clip has an 89.5% likelihood of being AI-generated, with the speech specifically flagged as 98.6% likely to be synthetic. The posts featuring the clip did not label or disclose that it was AI-generated or digitally altered. No such exchange has been documented publicly, nor confirmed by any palace recording, press statement, or news report. Regarding claims that Romualdez’s arrest was staged or involved specific instructions, Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla has stated that Marcos gave no such directives and even offered to show his phone records to prove no conversations took place. President Marcos himself has rejected suggestions that the arrest was staged, calling such framing “just another attack” rather than a genuine comment on the proceedings. Romualdez’s arrest plays into the public falling-out between the two, once close political allies, now divided by the flood control corruption scandal. While confined at Cardinal Santos Medical Center, Romualdez was arrested on September 7 under a warrant issued by the anti-graft court Sandiganbayan, tied to a P7.44-billion plunder case over alleged flood control kickbacks. He has denied all allegations against him, saying in a statement that he wants due process to run its course and the evidence to speak for itself, while maintaining that he broke no laws. Earlier, he had rebuked the executive branch over the 2025 budget scandal. In an April video statement, Romualdez alluded to the President when he said that if corruption were to occur, it does not happen at the level of legislative approval alone but also at the level of execution, when the national budget is executed and projects implemented. On September 14, Romualdez was transferred to the New Quezon City Jail after doctors cleared him for transfer. He has pleaded not guilty to all charges against him. Source: Rappler Philippines