FACT CHECK: Photo of Duterte ‘CD statue’ is AI-generated

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Several Filipinos take the ‘statue’ as real and tease critics about making one for the incumbent president as well

Claim: A photo depicting a statue of detained former president Rodrigo Duterte, is constructed using recycled compact discs (CDs).

Rating: FALSE

Why we fact-checked this: The Facebook post containing the claim has 4,900 reactions, 202 shares, and 448 comments as of writing.

The caption in the post states: “Art made of used CD”

Many Filipinos in the comment section failed to see that the statue was AI-generated, reacting instead with amazement and strong support for the detained former president. Some even used the top comment as a caption when sharing the post, which reads: “Mga anti-Duterte wag na kayo magalit, gagawan din natin SI BBM (Bongbong Marcos) hahaha.”

(Critics of Duterte, don’t get mad, we’ll make one for BBM too, hahaha.)

The facts: Analysis by the AI detection tool Sight Engine indicates a 99% probability that the Facebook image was created with AI, specifically through Imagen diffusion technology.

The Facebook page “Duterte News Info” has a pattern of posting AI-generated images of Duterte statues to boost pro-Duterte content. While some posts are clearly labeled as AI-generated, many — including the recent viral image — lack any such disclaimer. This omission misleads viewers into believing these fake images are authentic, fueling false narratives and inflating Duterte’s public image.

Monument joke: In March 2025, Duterte jokingly suggested building a monument in his honor while speaking to a crowd of overseas Filipino workers in Hong Kong. The remark was made during a campaign rally for his party’s senatorial bets ahead of the 2025 midterm elections. 

This comment came amid reports of a possible arrest warrant emanating from the International Criminal Court (ICC) over his controversial war on drugs. 

As of May 2025, there has been no credible evidence nor reports to build any monument or statue of Duterte — whether made from recycled CDs or otherwise. No artist or group has claimed to have created such a statue, and no such monument exists.

Pro-Duterte disinformation: Despite being detained in The Hague on ICC charges of crimes against humanity linked to his drug war, Duterte won the 2025 Davao City mayoral race by a landslide, securing over 662,630 votes — more than eight times his closest rival. The Facebook post was just one of many fueling his continued popularity.

Additionally, a Rappler investigation revealed that Duterte’s March 11 arrest by the Interpol, under an ICC warrant, has reignited a familiar wave of disinformation on social media. Supporters are resurfacing old tactics that portray Duterte as a frail yet heroic victim, defending his bloody war on drugs and framing the ICC probe as illegal foreign interference. (READ: [DECODED] Duterte’s arrest revives familiar disinformation tactics)

Debunked: Rappler has debunked multiple AI-generated images falsely depicting statues and monuments honoring Duterte:

• .FACT CHECK: Photo of Duterte ‘fishnet statue’ is AI-generated
• FACT CHECK: Photo of Duterte ‘Coca-Cola statue’ in the Netherlands is AI-generated
• FACT CHECK: Photo of ‘Arab gold’ Duterte statue is AI-generated
• FACT CHECK: Image of Jackie Chan sculpting Duterte statue is AI-generated
• FACT CHECK: Photo of Duterte ‘national hero’ statue is AI-generated
• FACT CHECK: Duterte’s monument photo is AI-generated

– Marjuice Destinado/Rappler.com

Marjuice Destinado is a Rappler intern. She is also a fact-checker and researcher-writer at Explained PH. A third-year political science student at Cebu Normal University (CNU), she serves as the feature editor of Ang Suga, CNU’s official student publication.

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