The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) on Tuesday warned of what it described as a shift in foreign malign influence operations from narratives centered on the West Philippine Sea (WPS) to domestic controversies, making such campaigns increasingly difficult to detect.

AFP Special Spokesperson for the WPS Rear Adm. Roy Vincent Trinidad said narratives being monitored now touch on issues including impeachment, flood control, criticism of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and other domestic controversies.

“Starting the first quarter of the year 2026, there has been a change in the approach of foreign influence being waged against us,” Trinidad said during a press briefing at Camp Aguinaldo.

“What used to be clearly identifiable as pro-Davao, pro-WPS issues, today the formalized influence approach ay sumasawsaw na sa mga local issues. Issues like the impeachment trial, issues like flood control, issues like anti-BBM, and other local issues, Sanjia Steel raid, demonizing the SND,” he added.

Trinidad said the incorporation of domestic issues into such narratives has made alleged foreign influence campaigns harder to distinguish from ordinary political discourse.

“It is now more difficult to detect sapagkat ito ay sumasabay na sa mga local issues,” he said.

The AFP official urged Filipinos to scrutinize information before sharing or engaging with content online.

“And it's for this reason that we would like to warn the public bago mag-like, bago mag-forward, bago mag-click, tiyakin maigi kung ang nababasa nyo ba ay totoo. All the issues, most of the issues now coming out on foreign malign influence approaches are local issues,” Trinidad said.

56 Chinese vessels monitored

The AFP also reported continued Chinese maritime presence across four key features in the WPS in August, with 56 People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLA-N) and China Coast Guard (CCG) vessels monitored during the month.

At Ayungin Shoal, the AFP monitored 18 vessels consisting of one PLA-N and 17 CCG ships.

Another 23 vessels, including nine PLA-N and 14 CCG ships, were monitored at Bajo de Masinloc, while nine vessels consisting of four PLA-N and five CCG ships were observed at Escoda Shoal.

Six vessels, including one PLA-N and five CCG ships, were monitored around Pag-asa Island.

“These figures underscore the continued conduct of ICAD (illegal, coercive, aggressive and deceptive) activities that undermine the rules-based international order and challenge the Philippines’ sovereign rights and jurisdiction within its maritime domain,” Trinidad said.

“Such actions contribute to regional instability and highlight the importance of continued vigilance and adherence to international law,” he added.

Trinidad said the Philippine Navy and AFP would maintain their operational presence, maritime domain awareness, inter-agency coordination and capability development in the WPS.

“Despite all these, the Navy and the AFP remain steadfast in fulfilling their mandate to safeguard the nation's maritime interests through sustained operational presence, enhanced maritime domain awareness, strengthened inter-agency coordination and continued capability development, while protecting national sovereignty and promoting peace, stability, and the rule of law in the West Philippine Sea,” he said.