Fact check: Viral photo of Luistro altered to exaggerate facial blemishes

Lead prosecutor Gerville Luistro on the 22nd day of the impeachment trial against Vice President Sara Duterte on Sept. 7, 2026.

Screenshot / Senate

MANILA, Philippines — A viral photo of Rep. Gerville Luistro (Batangas, 2nd District) was digitally altered to make blemishes on her face appear more pronounced as severe acne.

Several Facebook accounts circulated the manipulated image while mocking Luistro's appearance. Luistro leads the House prosecution panel in the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte.

Facebook accounts POV: ILoy Bugris Unofficial and Ching Villafuerte shared the digitally altered photo of Batangas 2nd District Rep. Gerville Luistro on Sept. 7 and Sept. 6, 2026, respectively.

Screenshot taken Sept. 11, 2026, 12:30 p.m.

Facebook page "POV: ILoy Bugris Unofficial," which regularly posts content supportive of Duterte, shared the edited image on September 7 with the caption:

The post's caption said:

San kaba nagpapa facial Ante? Nang maiwasan????

Another account, Ching Villafuerte, posted the same image on Sept. 6 and wrote in part:

Ganun talaga pag wala kanang peace of mind! Or SADYANG MADUMI LANG TALAGA ANG IYONG DUGO ????????????????????

Rating: This is fake/altered.

Facts

The image circulating on Facebook was digitally altered. The viral image was taken from a video interview first posted by Facebook page “EWAN TV” on Aug. 24, 2026.

A side-by-side comparison shows the original image of Batangas 2nd District Rep. Gerville Luistro and the digitally altered version circulating on Facebook.

Screenshot taken Sept. 11, 2026, 12:30 p.m.

A side-by-side comparison of the screenshot from the video and the circulating photo shows that Luistro’s appearance was edited possibly using a generative AI tool.

Other angles of Batangas 2nd District Rep. Gerville Luistro from the same interview, as published by IBC TV 13 and DWAR Abante Radyo.

Screenshot taken Sept. 11, 2026, 12:30 p.m.

Other footage of the same interview published by DWAR Abante Radyo and IBC TV 13 shows Luistro from similar angles without the exaggerated facial features seen in the viral image.

The independently posted footage further confirms that the image circulating on Facebook does not accurately represent the original video.

Why we fact-checked this

The impeachment trial against the vice president was on its 23rd day on Sept. 8, 2026.

The House prosecution had just wrapped up its presentation of evidence on the article involving Duterte's alleged misuse of confidential funds and signaled that it intends to call the vice president to the stand before the trial concludes.

The Senate impeachment court also gave the defense 15 days to respond to the prosecution's 104 requests for admission for the article involving allegations of unexplained wealth.

Luistro has played a prominent role in presenting the prosecution's case.

As of 12:30 p.m. on Sept. 11, the post by "POV: ILoy Bugris Unofficial" had drawn at least 2,900 reactions, 1,200 comments and 90 shares.

Villafuerte's post had received more than 1,400 reactions, 500 comments and 50 shares.