The Cybercrime Investigation and Coordinating Center (CICC) said on Thursday, Oct. 17, that it is investigating the “cheapfakes” on former Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) secretary Benjamin “Benhur” Abalos Jr. circulating on social media.
Based on Commission on Elections Resolution 11064 or the “Guidelines on the Use of Social Media, Artificial Intelligence, and Internet Technology for Digital Election Campaign” promulgated in September 2024, cheapfakes refer “to forms of visual disinformation for which authentic images or videos are re-contextualized to deliberately alter their meaning.”
CICC executive director Alexander K. Ramos said that in the original tarpaulins of Abalos, who has filed his candidacy for Senator, the text states: “Kalaban ng Kriminal Benhur Abalos.”
However, CICC has monitored on social altered version of the tarpaulin which states: “Kalaban at Kriminal Benhur Abalos.”
Ramos warned that people behind cheapfakes maybe held liable under the Comelec resolution.
Punishable under the said resolution include the creation and dissemination of deepfakes, cheapfakes, and softfakes to spread misinformation; use of fake and unregistered social media accounts during the election and campaign period for the same purposes; and the creation and dissemination of fake news.
Ramos appealed to the public to report to the Inter-Agency Response Center (IARC) Hotline 1326 for any deepfakes, cheapfakes or disinformation related to the coming elections.
