Claims that China might be funding social media influencers to sow discord among Filipinos and draw attention away from its actions in the West Philippine Sea are not far-fetched, Senate Deputy Majority Leader Joseph Victor "JV" Ejercito said Tuesday.

At the Kapihan sa Senado news forum, Ejercito expressed dismay over fellow Filipinos with pro-China stances who attack those opposing China's aggressive actions in the WPS.

"The sad thing is that this might be part of a destabilization plan. It is not far from the truth because we have that conflict in the West Philippine Sea, so to divert our attention, they will cause division among us," he said.

"It is not far-fetched that they are funded because suddenly they just became pro-China. It was very hard to defend, but they just do it," he added.

Ejercito reiterated the Philippines should stand together against China's aggressiveness in the WPS and that politics should not be the reason for the country's division.

"If you are truly a Filipino, if you are truly a normal Filipino, you won't be siding with China. We are already being bullied; they are trying to take over our territories. Will you just let them do it?" he said.

"What I can't stomach is Filipinos will side with the bully and aggressor like China," he added.

Pro-China narratives

Ejercito, a staunch critic of China's aggression in the WPS, previously claimed that he had been the subject of "coordinated" online attacks by individuals supporting pro-China narratives.

He noted that the coordinated online attacks against him mostly came from supporters of former president Rodrigo Duterte.

He, however, clarified he has nothing against the former president, and he was just surprised that his supporters are supporting China despite its actions in the WPS.

"So, me and President Duterte are good. It's just his former supporters — I was surprised how they became pro-China too much," Ejercito said. "And I suspect that it's part, and I'm hoping that they would realize, that they are being used for destabilization efforts."

He added that he does not think the former president has something to do with the destabilization plot against the Marcos administration.

"I don't think it's president Duterte who is behind it. It's only them. I don't know if they are voicing out their own opinion, or they are just doing their job," he said.

"Well, there are intel (intelligence) reports that they are being tapped by China and funded by China to cause trouble internally," he added.