FACT CHECK: Video of Marcos saying Romualdez’s arrest is ‘staged’ is AI-generated

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Claim: A video shows President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. privately telling his cousin, former House speaker Martin Romualdez, that his arrest is only for show, and that he would be acquitted as long as he stays silent.

Why we fact-checked this: The clip was posted on Facebook by the page “Jz Plays” as part of a series labeled “Cousins Forever Series.” Its caption reads, “BBM vs. Romualdez palabas” (BBM vs Romualdez, a show), with the hashtags #bbm #PBBM #BongbongMarcos.

In the clip, Romualdez is shown asking, “Insan, ano ‘to? Bakit pinapaaresto mo ako?” (Cousin, what is this? Why are you having me arrested?) 

Marcos replies, “Palabas lang ‘yan insan, parang ‘yung ginawa namin kay Bonoan. Hospital arrest lang naman ‘yan, pero ang ending niyan, abswelto ka pa rin, basta wag ka lang magsasalita, ha?” 

(That’s just a show, cousin, like what we did with [former public works secretary Manuel] Bonoan. It’s only a hospital arrest, but in the end, you’ll still be acquitted, just don’t talk, okay?) 

Romualdez responds, “Ayos, ang galing mo talaga insan!” (Great, you’re really something, cousin!) Both men then laugh.

The same clip was reposted by another user, seemingly as a reaction to the conversation, with the caption, “Ito talaga ang totoong nangyayari, kahit itaga niyo sa bato (This is really what’s happening, mark my words).”

As of writing, the two posts have garnered more than 160,000 views and 4,000 reactions combined.

The facts: AI detection tool Hive Moderation revealed that the clip has a 89.5% likelihood of being AI-generated, and specifically flagged the speech as 98.6% likely to be synthetic. The posts featuring the clip does not label or disclose that it was AI-generated or digitally altered.

No such exchange has also been documented anywhere, with no Palace recording, press statement, or news report confirming that this supposed conversation took place.

Amid claims that Romualdez’s arrest was staged or involved particular instructions, Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla has said that Marcos gave no instructions on how Romualdez’s case should be handled, even offering to show his own phone records to prove no conversations took place. 

Marcos himself later rejected suggestions that the arrest was staged, calling that framing “just another attack” rather than a genuine comment on the proceedings.

Romualdez’s arrest: The video plays into the public falling-out between the two, once close political allies, now divided by the flood control corruption scandal.

While confined at Cardinal Santos Medical Center, Romualdez was arrested on September 7 under a warrant issued by anti-graft court Sandiganbayan tied to a P7.44-billion plunder case over alleged flood control kickbacks. 

He has denied all allegations against him, saying in a statement that he wants due process to run its course and the evidence to speak for itself, while maintaining that he broke no laws. 

Earlier, he rebuked the executive branch over the 2025 budget scandal. In a video statement in April, Romualdez seemingly alluded to the President when he said that if corruption were to occur, it does not happen at the level of legislative approval alone but also at the level of execution, when the national budget is executed and projects implemented. (READ: Swipe at Marcos? Romualdez blames executive for budget corruption scandal)

On September 14, Romualdez was moved to the New Quezon City Jail after doctors cleared him for transfer. He has pleaded not guilty to all charges against him. – Cyril Bocar/Rappler.com

Efren Cyril Bocar is a journalist from Llorente, Eastern Samar who graduated with a degree in English Language Studies at the Visayas State University. Cyril is also a graduate of the Aries Rufo Journalism Fellowship of Rappler for 2024. 

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