The Philippine National Police is going after AI deepfakes. PNP chief General Jose Melencio C. Nartatez Jr. on August 13 ordered the force's Anti-Cybercrime Group (ACG) to step up monitoring and operations against AI-generated photos and videos that mislead the public, the Manila Bulletin reported. The order came days after the National Privacy Commission (NPC) put the public on notice: making or sharing AI-generated images of a real, identifiable person can violate the Data Privacy Act.
What the NPC actually said
The commission said it issued the warning after noticing an increasing circulation of synthetic media — AI-generated images and videos depicting real, identifiable people. In its notice to the public, released earlier this week, the regulator laid out its position, as the Daily Tribune reported:
- A person's face and likeness are personal information under Republic Act No. 10173, the Data Privacy Act of 2012 (DPA)
- Feeding a real person's face into an AI tool to generate an image or video — and posting or sharing the result — counts as processing of personal data, whatever the purpose
- Doing that without a lawful basis may amount to unauthorized processing under Section 25 of the DPA, which carries criminal penalties on top of possible civil and administrative liability
- A fabricated image or video showing a person doing or saying something they never did is false personal data, which the subject has the right to have blocked or removed under Section 16(e)
The commission said it can investigate on its own initiative and issue cease-and-desist orders, and that complaints involving minors get top priority.
Are memes and parody now illegal?
Not automatically. The NPC acknowledged that satire, parody, commentary, journalism, and other expression on matters of public interest can fall under constitutional free-speech protections — but only "to the minimum extent suitable and necessary" for those purposes. Relevant factors include whether the content is clearly disclosed as synthetic and whether using a real person's actual likeness was necessary at all. In short: an obviously labeled parody sits on much safer ground than a realistic fake passed off as genuine.
What the police will do about it
Nartatez directed the ACG to strictly monitor malicious and misleading AI content, warning that criminal groups can exploit such material for illicit activity. "This illegal activity is a big challenge that requires not only coordination with other agencies but also cooperation with the public," he said. "Our collective efforts will prevail over misuse of advances in digital technology."
The order fits a longer push. Nartatez has been investing in the PNP's digital crime-fighting capability since taking the post last year, committing to skills training and new equipment for the ACG. "Our cybercrime capabilities must be responsive and should adapt to the latest cyber threats and trends," he said. "We will prevent these crimes proactively by establishing mechanisms to address emerging threats swiftly."
The crackdown lands amid a global regulatory turn against synthetic media abuse — most visibly targeting so-called "nudify" tools, as when Minnesota's ban on nudify apps survived a court challenge from xAI. The Philippine approach is notable for needing no new law: regulators are applying a 2012 privacy statute to a 2026 problem.
If your face is used in a deepfake
The NPC's notice gives victims a concrete path:
- Demand removal from whoever posted or circulated the content — the DPA gives you the right to have false personal data blocked or erased
- File a complaint with the NPC, which can investigate and order the material taken down
- For content involving children, complaints are prioritized
For everyone else, the practical takeaway is simpler: generating a realistic image of a real person without their consent is no longer a gray area in the Philippines. The privacy regulator has said it can be a crime, and the police have now been ordered to patrol for it.
