The battle over the West Philippine Sea (WPS) has expanded beyond maritime confrontations and into the digital sphere, as Philippine security officials warned of an emerging “cognitive warfare” campaign powered by artificial intelligence (AI) and automated “botnets.”

Speaking during a media forum, Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) spokesperson Col. Francel Margareth Padilla said the country is facing increasingly sophisticated online influence operations designed to manipulate public opinion and distort narratives surrounding the WPS dispute.

Padilla said foreign-backed disinformation campaigns are no longer limited to traditional “troll farms” run manually through multiple fake accounts and mobile devices.

“It’s botnets that we’re up against,” Padilla said. “Just certain keywords like West Philippine Sea, in a matter of seconds, there will be 600 ha-ha reactions — no friends, no whatever. It’s purely botnets.”

According to Padilla, automated networks now exploit social media algorithms by repeatedly feeding users similar content based on their online behavior, eventually creating echo chambers that limit balanced discourse.

“If you watch a clip saying a particular narrative, you’ll be fed the same information over and over. Nawawala na yung balance of perspectives because the algorithm sees this is your interest,” she explained.

The AFP official described the strategy as part of a broader “cognitive warfare” campaign aimed at influencing the “hearts and minds” of Filipinos without direct military confrontation.

Security officials warned that sustained online manipulation could eventually shape public sentiment and influence policymaking in ways favorable to foreign adversaries.

“If public perception is sufficiently skewed, policies may become favorable to the adversary and no longer pro-Filipino,” Padilla said.

The warning comes amid continued tensions between the Philippines and China in the disputed waters, including repeated confrontations involving Chinese Coast Guard vessels near Philippine-held features in the West Philippine Sea.

In response, the government is pursuing what officials described as a two-pronged strategy centered on transparency and technological capability.

Padilla added that the effort complements the AFP’s “Communications Plan: Mulat” and the Philippine Coast Guard’s transparency campaign, which involves the public release of real-time videos and updates from maritime patrols to counter what officials described as “fake news, misinformation, and malinformation.”

“If AI is being used against us, then we should also leverage the use of AI for defense,” Padilla stressed.