Beijing’s embassy in Manila had hired a company in the Philippines to “destroy the credibility not just of a person or a leader, but of the country,” according to Senate Majority Leader Francis Tolentino, who is also chairperson of the Special Committee on Philippine Maritime and Admiralty Zones.
During a hearing of the Special Committee on Philippine Maritime and Admiralty Zones on alleged spying by Beijing, Tolentino said the embassy had hired a troll farm to spread disinformation. This included the supposed disadvantages to the Philippines of having the U.S. Typhon missile system and the dangers of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s regime, considering the “history of its dictatorship family”—a reference to the notorious rule of his father, Ferdinand Marcos, who was deposed in a coup in 1986.
Tolentino alleged that government investigations had found 330 fraudulent Facebook and X accounts that had been created to spread propaganda, which were made to appear as sentiments of legitimate users.
“This is not a normal PR campaign,” he said. “What they do is to openly provide information and convey the policies of the Chinese government. This shows that the People’s Republic of China paid them to destroy the credibility not just of a person or a leader, but of the country.”
He presented what he claimed was a contract between the Chinese Embassy in the Philippines and Makati-based marketing firm InfinitUs Marketing Solutions, and a copy of a cheque, written on Sept. 11, 2023, for 930,000 pesos (US$16,500/A$25,900) that he said the embassy paid to the company. He said it has been signed by Wu Chenqi, the embassy’s director for media and public relations.
“The money that the Chinese Embassy paid was for something hidden and sinister. It was to finance a troll farm. A covert disinformation and influence operation against the Philippine government and the Filipino people,” he said.
He said the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) financed the campaign because it “does not want the Philippines to have the means to defend its territory and sovereignty.”
Clamping Down on CCP Influence
On April 28, the National Security Council (NSC) alleged there were “indications” that “state-sponsored” information operations by Beijing are being conducted to interfere in the May 12 midterm election results by targeting candidates critical of the CCP and supporting those in favour.NSC Assistant Director General Jonathan Malaya said these accusations “appeared to be legitimate” and the NSC had asked the National Bureau of Investigation to build a case and charge those responsible.
In January this year, Manila announced it had arrested a suspected CCP spy, along with two Filipino accomplices.
The alleged spy is a graduate of a university “controlled and operated by the People’s Liberation Army (PLA),” NBI Cybercrime Division Chief Jeremy Lotoc said in a press conference.
He was a specialist in “control engineering,” and authorities had found high-tech equipment in his vehicle that could be used for surveillance.
These included a laser sensor and a GPS tracker, which Lotoc said could “pick up frequencies in critical structures like military bases, police camps. They are collating data, they have remote equipment that is transferred in real time outside our country.”
The alleged spy had visited areas where Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA) sites are located. The agreement allows the United States to rotate troops into the Philippines for extended stays and allows the United States to build and operate facilities for use by both American and Philippine forces.
House Deputy Majority Leader Paolo Ortega V said Beijing’s activities were “foreign interference—designed to infiltrate our politics, confuse our people, and weaken our country from the inside,” and alleged that pro-CCP candidates were among those standing for election.
He described the situation as “unacceptable and treasonous.”
“They are paying Filipinos to discredit our own country,” he said.
The Public Relations Society of the Philippines (PRSP) joined in condemning the use of fake accounts to spread disinformation, calling the practice unethical and careless.
“While our role is to uphold and strengthen the reputation of our clients and organisations, this is not to be done at the expense of societal good,” PRSP said.
“We believe in the power of words and stories to shape public perception and opinion. As such, we exert utmost care and effort to ensure that we adhere to a set of ethical standards in the practice of our profession.”
Disinformation researchers who studied the 2019 elections found an increased use of influencers and “troll farms” to help win over potential voters, with PR, marketing, and advertising firms discreetly offering these services to clients, the Society said.
