FACT CHECK: Video of news report on hypertension ‘cure’ is AI-manipulated

Claim: In a GMA news report by journalist Jessica Soho, cardiologist and online health personality Dr. Willie Ong endorses a hypertension cure.

Rating: FALSE

Why we fact-checked this: The Facebook post containing the claim has 62,000 views, 32 comments, and 320 reactions as of writing.

The video appears to show an emergency broadcast of State of the Nation, where Soho can be seen reporting Ong’s alleged discovery of a hypertension cure that takes effect within 24 hours. 

The facts: The video containing the claim is fake and is manipulated using artificial intelligence. An analysis by deepfake detection tool TrueMedia.org revealed that the video has substantial evidence of face and voice manipulation. 

TrueMedia.org’s analyses found evidence of face manipulation with 98% confidence and evidence of AI-generated audio with 100% confidence. It also found unusual patterns and discrepancies in the subjects’ facial features. 

The semantic analysis performed by the detector also found that the video appears to be “a scripted advertisement rather than a genuine emergency broadcast,” and that the use of certain words suggests “a fabricated or automated script rather than a real spoken audio.”

Similar fact check: Earlier this year, Rappler debunked a fake 24 Oras report bearing the same claim. Other deepfake videos with the same script featured other physicians, such as Doc Alvin Francisco, and journalists like Karen Davila. 

Targeted by deepfake content: Both Soho and Ong have been frequent targets of AI-manipulated ads. Many of these posts promote dubious, unregistered health products:

• FACT CHECK: Jessica Soho ad for cyst and tumor ‘cure’ is AI-generated
• FACT CHECK: Jessica Soho’s weight loss pill ‘report’ is AI-manipulated
• FACT CHECK: Rejuvenating serum ad uses manipulated videos of celebrities
• FACT CHECK: Manipulated video cites Willie Ong ‘endorsement’ for hypertension ‘cure’
• FACT CHECK: Eyes Blue neither endorsed by Doc Willie Ong nor approved by FDA
• ​​FACT CHECK: Ad uses deepfake video of Doc Willie Ong to promote voice and throat supplement
• FACT CHECK: Doc Willie Ong’s hypertension video ad is AI-manipulated
• FACT CHECK: Doc Willie Ong doesn’t endorse Ayurma Healing Oil 
• FACT CHECK: Doc Willie Ong doesn’t endorse Nasure Colostrum Milk 
• FACT CHECK: Doc Willie Ong doesn’t endorse Lung Gold Milk 
• FACT CHECK: Barley Grass Powder ad uses altered photo of Doc Willie Ong
• FACT CHECK: Fake ads for hair growth product use Doc Willie Ong’s videos 
• FACT CHECK: Doc Willie Ong ad promoting whitening toothpaste is fake
• FACT CHECK: Doc Willie Ong’s name, videos used in fake ads for Glufarelin 

– Ailla Dela Cruz/Rappler.com

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