Several Facebook users and groups have been sharing an image of two American doctors meeting with Vice President Sara Duterte supposedly for the medical care of her father, former president Rodrigo Duterte. This is fake. The image is AI-generated.
Part of the caption reads:
“‘I would be honored to assist in Mr. Duterte’s recovery, he has contributed greatly to the Philippines,’ ani ni (said) Dr. Grey.”
“‘While I typically focus on training residents, I’m stepping in for the greater good,’ dagdag ni (added) Dr. Bailey.”
The two individuals in the photo are not real doctors. They are actors representing fictional characters in the popular American television show “Grey’s Anatomy.” The women in the picture are Ellen Pompeo who played the character of Dr. Meredith Grey, and Chandra Wilson who portrayed Dr. Miranda Bailey in the medical series.
Analysis using Hive Moderation, a tool that detects AI-generated or deepfake content, has flagged the image with a 99.9% likelihood of being AI-generated.
This disinformation was published on March 26 as public discussion regarding the health and legal status of the former president intensified. The erstwhile chief executive is detained in The Hague, Netherlands on charges of crimes against humanity.
Throughout March, Duterte’s legal team and allies, including Senator Bong Go, made several public statements describing him as “fragile” and in “declining health.”
The defense team has been seeking his release or the adjournment of proceedings at the International Criminal Court (ICC), citing cognitive impairment and physical frailty.
While some netizens recognized the image as fake, a significant number appeared to believe the claim was genuine. Those who fell for the ruse expressed gratitude and relief, with some commenting, “Salamat po Panginoon sa ilang concern kay TATAY DIGONG health situation” (Thank you, Lord, for their concern for Tatay Digong’s health situation) and “Milyong Salamat po sa DIOS” (A million thanks to God).
Posts spanning a week, from Mar. 31 to April 1, were shared by personal accounts and groups such as Banat Pilipinas (created Oct. 2021), along with pages like Daily Videos (created Nov. 2024), and Sara Duterte Supporters – For President (created Aug. 2010), have cumulatively reached 30,371 reactions, 1,838 comments, and 3,631 shares.
Editor’s note: This fact check was produced with the help of a journalism student from Bicol University as part of their internship at VERA Files.
