Calls mount for raps over China poll 'interference'
Calls for the prompt filing of criminal charges regarding reports of China’s interference in the 12 May polls have continued to escalate, with administration lawmakers warning that a lack of urgency could pave the way for “pro-Beijing” candidates to secure key seats in government, particularly in Congress.
According to House Deputy Majority Leader Paolo Ortega V on Sunday, there are candidates who “obviously have the blessing of foreign interests,” which he claimed is “treasonous” and warrants immediate action from the concerned authorities.
A similar call on Friday was made by his colleagues—Reps. Rufus Rodriguez and Jefferson Khonghun—suggesting charges of treason or other violations under the Revised Penal Code and the National Security Act against the officers and the board of directors of the Makati-based public relations firm InfinitUs Marketing Solutions Inc., as well as Chinese diplomats and their staff.
“We must act now before foreign powers succeed in choosing our leaders for us,” Ortega stressed. “This is foreign interference—designed to infiltrate our politics, confuse our people, and weaken our country from the inside.”
The call was triggered by reports that the Chinese Embassy in Manila allegedly entered into a contract with InfinitUs to deploy “keyboard warriors” or troll farms to promote pro-Beijing narratives and undermine the Philippine government through spreading disinformation against the current administration.
The deal, forged in August 2023, reportedly includes verbally assaulting members of Congress who are critical of China and its continued encroachment in the highly contested waters of the West Philippine Sea.
Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Guo Jiakun had already denied the allegations, asserting that Beijing have no business meddling in the Philippine elections.
In an interview on Sunday, Surigao del Norte Rep. Ace Barbers, lead chairperson of the House Quad Committee, who has been subjected to “fake news,” which he believes is orchestrated by pro-Chinese, echoed the need for a “deep” and swift investigation into the matter.
According to Senator Francis Tolentino, who spearheaded last week’s Senate probe into the issue, Barbers is among the key personalities who are being attacked by the “keyboard warriors” hired by InfinitUs to sow division and discredit the Philippine government.
“It is important that we determine if this is a systematic smear or spread of false information. If it is determined that there is a systematic program or syndicate behind this, the authorities should identify it,” Barbers stated in Filipino.
As early as last year, Barbers, along with Quad Comm co-chair Dan Fernandez, had flagged the abrupt spate of troll farms disseminating false information, particularly targeting them and active members of the panel.
They have speculated that these trolls may have been financed by a POGO boss to deliberately attack and discredit the ongoing investigation into the illegal POGO industry.
Both Ortega and Barbers pushed for the passage of stronger laws against foreign election interference, as well as the criminalization of “fake news,” which has languished in Congress over the years due to concerns that it may curtail freedom of speech.
Meantime, the lawmakers warned the voting public to be vigilant for political candidates who remained mum on issues of sovereignty in the WPS, if not echoing self-serving narratives of China.
The Philippines and China have been embroiled in a maritime dispute over the WPS. China asserts sovereignty over the entire South China Sea, which overlaps with the WPS, despite a 2016 arbitral ruling that deemed its assertion baseless.
Notwithstanding a pact to de-escalate their maritime tensions in July last year, China remains persistently aggressive in the contested waterway through the use of water cannon attacks, military-grade laser pointing, and the deployment of missiles against Philippine troops and vessels.
