Video of Arjo Atayde destroying mic throughout Home session is AI-manipulated

An AI detection device flagged the video as AI-manipulated. It was an altered model of the unique clip of Atayde throughout the Home election for its subsequent speaker.

Declare: A video exhibits Quezon Metropolis 1st District Consultant Juan Carlos “Arjo” Atayde destroying a microphone throughout a Home of Representatives plenary session.

Ranking: FALSE

Why we fact-checked this: The TikTok video containing the declare has 857,500 views, 4,587 likes, 380 feedback, and 325 shares as of writing.

Textual content overlaid on the video states, “Sinira yung mic (He broke the mic)” and “Rep. Atayde, kabilang sa bumoto kay Home Speaker Bojie Dy (Consultant Atayde was amongst those that voted for Home Speaker Bojie Dy).”

Whereas some consider the video is AI-generated, a number of Filipinos within the remark part thought it was genuine, with feedback saying the lawmaker allegedly broke the microphone because of stress.

The information: AI detection device Sight Engine analyzed a screenshot from the video and located it’s possible AI-generated, with an 80% likelihood of GenAI creation, 80% likelihood of face manipulation, 47% likelihood of use of diffusion methods, and 80% likelihood of utilizing Steady Diffusion.

The deceptive clip was an altered model of the unique video of Atayde on the Home of Representatives’ plenary session on September 17, when the decrease chamber elected Isabela sixth District Consultant Faustino “Bojie” Dy III because the new speaker, succeeding Leyte 1st District Consultant Martin Romualdez.

Opposite to the declare, Atayde was not seen breaking a microphone throughout the plenary session.

Flood management kickbacks: Atayde’s presence on the plenary session was the primary time the lawmaker was seen on the Home since he was accused of being concerned in anomalous flood management tasks.

On September 8, contractors Sarah and Pacifico “Curlee” Discaya tagged a number of members of Congress, together with Atayde, as among the many public officers allegedly receiving kickbacks from questionable public infrastructure tasks.

Curlee Discaya claimed that Atayde’s father personally collected commissions from these tasks, whereas different officers despatched intermediaries to gather funds on their behalf. (READ: In witness bid, Discayas hyperlink politicians, engineers to kickbacks)

The Discayas claimed that officers usually demanded 10% to 25% of venture funds as kickbacks, typically paying in money at places like wine bars in Bonifacio International Metropolis. 

Atayde’s denial: Atayde firmly denied the allegations, asserting that he had “by no means dealt” with the Discayas. His spouse, tv host Maine Mendoza, additionally defended him on social media, describing the claims as “baseless” and stressing that she “actually wouldn’t defend him” if he had acted dishonestly. (READ: Maine Mendoza on Arjo Atayde backlash: ‘You’re condemning the improper individuals’)

Whereas the lawmaker denied coping with the contractors, photos obtained by Rappler confirmed Atayde showing to pose for photographs with the Discayas. 

An older photograph from Atayde’s Fb web page additionally resurfaced, depicting him a tarpaulin for a P50-million flood venture managed by Wawao Builders, one other building agency tagged within the flood management controversy. The photograph has since been deleted from the lawmaker’s web page. – Marjuice Destinado/Rappler.com

Marjuice Destinado is a senior political science scholar at Cebu Regular College (CNU). An Aries Rufo Journalism Fellow of Rappler for 2025, she can be the characteristic editor of Ang Suga, CNU’s official scholar publication.

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