AFP pushes blocking foreign misinformation on WPS

The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) backed calls on Monday for regulatory authorities to take decisive action against foreign state-sponsored information campaigns targeting the West Philippine Sea (WPS).

Rear Adm. Roy Vincent Trinidad, military spokesperson for the WPS, confirmed support for lawmakers urging action, led by House Spokesperson Representative Robert Ace Barbers. Trinidad said that defending national sovereignty extends beyond maritime and aerial domains into digital networks.

He also explained that foreign malign influence operations rely on coordinated proxy accounts, deceptive media outlets, and psychological manipulation to divide the public, weaken trust in defense institutions and justify unlawful actions within the country’s exclusive economic zone.

Congressional leaders are urging the National Telecommunications Commission and related agencies to restrict online channels allegedly spreading Chinese propaganda. Barbers specifically cited the Facebook page Media Unlocked, accusing it of circulating fabricated narratives.

The lawmaker compared foreign propaganda channels to illicit websites, calling for swift regulatory measures to restrict access and urged the telecommunications authority to collaborate with the Department of Information and Communications Technology within legal frameworks.

As an immediate response, Barbers recommended that government agencies produce a frame-by-frame video explainer to fact-check content published by Media Unlocked.

The suggestion follows a recent video from the page claiming a Philippine vessel intruded into territorial waters around Bajo de Masinloc, a feature located inside the Philippine exclusive economic zone.

The military reaffirmed its commitment to work alongside Congress, government regulators, and civil society to protect public discourse and defend national sovereignty against digital aggression.