Philippine authorities have flagged the alleged meddling of China in the ongoing campaign for the midterm local and national elections scheduled for May 12. China has denied the accusation, but the specter of foreign interference has become an election narrative that could influence not just the results but also the long-term prospects of political forces suspected of promoting anti-Filipino interests.
During a Senate hearing, reelectionist Senator Francis Tolentino exposed the role of the Chinese embassy in hiring “keyboard warriors” to promote an agenda that runs counter to Manila’s claims in the West Philippine Sea, as it refers to its portion of the South China Sea.
“These troll farms were engaged not only to openly provide information and convey the policies of the Chinese government but also to act as a covert disinformation and influence operation against the Philippine government and the Filipino people,” Tolentino said
An official of the National Security Council confirmed what the Senator revealed, adding that China-backed operations are actively spreading disinformation. “There are indications that information operations are being conducted that are Chinese state-sponsored in the Philippines and are actually interfering in the forthcoming elections,” the official said.
Intelligence authorities have warned that China is indeed “amplifying divisive political discourse” in the Philippines.
Senator Risa Hontiveros, a member of the Senate Minority, urged her colleagues to work for the immediate passage of the Foreign Interference Act. She said that “any Filipino found to be colluding with foreign powers must be held accountable.” She also emphasized that “this is a serious national security concern that undermines the integrity not just of our national elections, but also of our democracy.”
The office of the president has ordered “a swift and thorough investigation” into the matter. It reiterated the directive after a suspected Chinese spy was apprehended by law enforcement units near the main office of the Commission on Elections (Comelec).
Allies of the administration have doubled down on making China accountable for its actions. “This is foreign interference – designed to infiltrate our politics, confuse our people, and weaken our country from the inside,” said House deputy majority leader Paolo Ortega V.
The House leader also urged voters to reject “Team China” candidates, “whose campaign obviously bear the blessings of foreign interests.”
The so-called pro-China candidates were not named in reports but former President Rodrigo Duterte had close links with Beijing during and after the end of his term. An investigative report revealed that “fake news” accounts were responsible for promoting sympathy for Duterte and his family after his arrest in March and turn over into the custody of the International Criminal Court.
In response, the spokesperson of the Chinese Embassy dismissed the allegations of election interference. “We would like to repeat that China adheres to the principle of non-interference in the internal affairs of other countries and we have no interest in interfering in elections in the Philippines.”
The spokesperson also accused Filipino politicians of using the China card to gain media mileage and get votes. “We noticed the attempts of some politicians to play the so-called China card to serve their political self-interests and boost their election prospects before the midterm election,” the spokesperson said. “Such attempts are despicable and doomed to failure.”
This is not the first time that authorities have cited foreign interference in local politics. Last year, the Comelec chief bared that foreign entities were trying to taint the credibility of the election process. A Reuters report also mentioned that Filipinos were targeted by a Pentagon-backed disinformation operation that attempted to discredit China-made vaccines during the pandemic.
The latest foreign interference allegations involving Chinese spies and pro-Beijing influencers could affect the last leg of the midterm election campaign. The results of the investigation could highlight the extent of Chinese influence within the country’s major political parties. More importantly, it is a timely reminder for the public to be more critical of the information they receive online and to always ask if a trending news narrative serves a partisan agenda, especially those coming from dubious sources.