FACT CHECK: AI-generated video not real footage of Angeles City building collapse

Claim: A video shows the collapse of a nine-story building under construction in Angeles City, Pampanga, which happened on May 24.

Rating: FALSE

Why we fact-checked this: The video bearing the claim was posted on May 25, a day after the incident. As of writing, it has 4.1 million views, 2,500 shares, and 851 comments.

The video shows clear footage of the collapsing building, with the text, “Pangyayaring di inaasahan (An unexpected incident), building collapse.”

The video’s caption also indicates that the incident happened in Pampanga. Most of the comments raised concerns about the quality of the materials used in the building’s construction, while others called for accountability over the incident.

The facts: The video was made using Google Veo, an artificial intelligence (AI) tool that generates high-quality images and videos, and does not show real video of the incident that occurred on May 24. 

A small Google Veo watermark can be seen in the lower-right corner of the video. The AI detection tool Hive Moderation also flagged the video as 98.8% likely to be AI-generated.

A dash cam video captured the building’s collapse, which occurred around 3 am and shows that it was still dark outside. However, the AI-generated video depicts the supposed incident as happening in broad daylight. 

Death toll updates: Early Sunday, May 24, a nine-story building under construction along Teodoro Street in Barangay Balibago collapsed, trapping workers underneath the rubble. 

According to the latest reports, at least 27 people were killed in the incident. The Bureau of Fire Protection, city responders, and the Philippine National Police continue search and retrieval operations as authorities believe more victims may still be buried underneath the debris. (READ: ‘Akala ko earthquake’: Angeles City resident in nearby hotel recalls building collapse)

The Department of Labor and Employment said it issued a work stoppage order at the site in September 2025 over multiple safety violations. The order was lifted after the construction company complied with the required corrections, according to the department.

The cause of the incident remains under investigation, according to authorities. 

AI-generated fact-check: Rappler has previously debunked fake images and videos generated using artificial intelligence tools: 

• FACT CHECK: Viral photo of Mayon Volcano eruption is AI-generated
• FACT CHECK: No ban on cellphone use starting April; video is AI-generated
• FACT CHECK No free electricity, subsidies for national ID, vaccine card holders
• FACT CHECK: No announcement of energy lockdown; video is AI-generated

– Owenh Toledo/Rappler.com

Owenh Toledo is a graduate of Rappler’s fact-checking mentorship program. This fact check was reviewed by a member of Rappler’s research team and a senior editor. Learn more about Rappler’s fact-checking mentorship program here.
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