The Presidential Communications Office (PCO) is in touch with other government agencies and social media platforms as it investigates the people behind the deepfake audio of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. that circulated online, PCO Assistant Secretary Rowena Otida said Thursday.

The manipulated audio was designed to sound like the President authorized the use of force against China amid tension in the West Philippine Sea.

"Nakikipag-ugnayan na ang PCO sa DICT [Department of Information and Communications Technology] at sa National Security Council para doon sa imbestigasyon, at nagkacoordinate na rin sa Facebook, sa Google, sa lahat ng social media platforms para matukoy kung sino ba ang gumawa nito," she said in a televised briefing.

DICT, law enforcement agencies probe 'deepfake' Marcos Jr. audio 

"Kasi baka hindi lang dito sa Pilipinas, at baka may foreign.. may hackers na galing sa ibang bansa. So iniimbestigahan po iyan ng pamahalaan," she added.

Asec. Otida  said the public may be deceived by the deepfake audio as it was released amid the ongoing joint military exercises between the Philippines, the United States and other partners.

"Ito ay sa gitna ng Balikatan exercises na ginaganap ngayon. So very alarming, so dapat piliin natin ang ating panonoorin at pakikinggan at suriin natin, at kung narinig natin na ganoon isipin natin mabuti kung totoo ito," Otida said.

'Deepfake' na nag-uudyok ng puwersa vs. China, pinaiimbestigahan