AI‑generated disinformation spikes in Philippines as Senator Bato Dela Rosa faces ICC warrant

The Philippines is seeing a new wave of online manipulation as generative AI tools enable rapid creation of sophisticated memes, videos and other content. Supporters of former President Rodrigo Duterte, who previously built a large‑scale propaganda network, are now using these tools to amplify disinformation and mock political figures with unprecedented speed and visual quality.

The surge has centered on Senator Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa, a prominent Duterte ally and former enforcer of the drug war, after the International Criminal Court confirmed an arrest warrant against him. Dela Rosa entered the Senate on May 11, evading arrest and casting a decisive vote in a leadership shift, while his allies claimed he was under “protective custody.” Analysts such as Dominic Ligot warn that the flood of AI‑generated material confuses the public and threatens to overwhelm democratic discourse.