Defense questions use of AI images

MANILA, Philippines — The defense team questioned the prosecution’s decision to use artificial intelligence-generated pictures of the P125-million confidential funds during the continuation of the impeachment trial against Vice President Sara Duterte yesterday.

Defense counsel Lindon Miguel Bacquel objected after private prosecutor Amando Ligutan presented to hostile witness Gina Acosta, former disbursing officer of the Office of the Vice President (OVP), the AI generated pictures of four bags that supposedly contained the P125 million she received in cash from Landbank.

“May we just interpose an objection as regards presenting the witness those props inasmuch as the defense is uncertain as to how that is an accurate representation of what the prosecution claims to be,” Bacquel said.

At a separate press conference, defense spokesman Michael Poa said Duterte’s legal team registered its objection.

“I would like to at least try to understand the side of the prosecution... Maybe they just wanted to show some graphics to give a picture of what point they want to make... But again, all we had to do was object to that. Because maybe it’s not accurate. And usually, AI isn’t really accurate these days,” Poa said.