House lawmakers critical of China prodded the Department of Justice (DoJ) on Friday to investigate and file treason charges against the Makati-based public relations (PR) firm allegedly contracted and paid by China to deploy troll farms to undermine the country and promote “false” narratives of Beijing, particularly concerning the West Philippine Sea (WPS).

The call came after Senator Francis Tolentino revealed during Thursday’s Senate probe into underwater drones allegedly put up by China in the Philippine waters that the Chinese Embassy in Manila entered into a contract with InfinitUs Marketing Solutions Inc. for P930,000 to deploy “keyboard warriors” or troll farms to promote pro-Beijing narratives at the expense of the Philippine government. 

Cagayan de Oro Rep. Rufus Rodriguez and Zambales Rep. Jefferson Khonghun stressed the need for the DoJ and other concerned agencies, like the National Bureau of Investigation, to look into this cause of concern and file charges if necessary against members of the board of directors of the InfinitUs. 

“Chinese diplomats and embassy staff should likewise be immediately sanctioned by the Department of Foreign Affairs,” Rodriguez pointed out. “China’s government, through its embassy, is paying Filipino troll farms to oppose and smear the administration.”

The operation is reportedly aimed at criticizing the government for the benefit of China. The InfinitUs, Tolentino said, are being paid to hire dedicated “keyboard warriors” — Filipino social media users operating under fake identities — to deliberately promote online content in favor of China and attack lawmakers critical of them.

The Senate hearing revealed that the service deal was made in August 2023, and a check of P930,000 was subsequently released as payment by the Chinese Embassy to InfinitUs on 11 September of that year.

Rodriguez did the research and suggested that InifinitUs is being co-founded by Myka Basco-Poynton and a certain Paul Li, with a certain Nestor Arciaga being its marketing officer and social media manager. 

‘Boycott the enablers’

Khonghun, whose district is directly affected by the continued intrusion of Chinese vessels in the WPS, strongly encourages Filipino-owned companies associated with Infinitus to boycott the firm.

“Filipino businessmen and entities making money in our country should not be enablers of Chinese false narratives,” Khonghun asserted.

Meanwhile, Rodriguez urged Tolentino to summon in the next Senate hearing the Infinitus officers and members of its board to explain the depths and details of their deal with China.

In a briefing on Friday, Tolentino prodded Foreign Affairs Secretary Enrique Manalo to summon the Chinese Ambassador to the Philippines, Huang Xilian, to do the explanation on what he called “a clear transgression of our sovereignty.”