Senator Francis Tolentino on Thursday alleged that the Chinese Embassy in Manila financed a disinformation campaign in the Philippines through a local public relations (PR) firm, deploying Filipino "keyboard warriors" to influence public opinion on maritime and national issues.
During a public hearing of the Senate Special Committee on Philippine Maritime and Admiralty Zones, Tolentino presented what he claimed to be a service agreement between the Chinese Embassy and InfinitUs Marketing Solutions Inc., a Philippine-based PR agency.
“This is a contract entered into by the Chinese Embassy and a local corporation whose service is to deploy keyboard warriors on social media,” Tolentino said.
The agreement, dated August 2023 and signed in Makati City, was reportedly entered into by Mr. Wu Chenqi, director of media and public relations of the Chinese Embassy, and Ms. Myka Poynton, marketing director of InfinitUs.
According to Tolentino, the firm was contracted to provide online ‘keyboard warriors’ — individuals paid to manage fake personas, post propaganda, and engage in targeted online conversations to advance Beijing’s messaging and sow disinformation across Filipino social media circles.
Filipino 'warriors'
The senator stressed that these "keyboard warriors" are most likely Filipinos, not foreign nationals.
“That’s what I was asking earlier — it’s not all based in China. They’re working here in the Philippines, providing services. That’s what I want the Securities and Exchange Commission to investigate,” he said.
He added, “It’s not the fault of our fellow Filipinos who are working there if they don’t really know what they’re being asked to do.”
Tolentino further showed what he claimed was a Bank of China check amounting to P930,000, issued by the embassy and made payable to InfinitUs for services rendered under the same agreement.
“The bank used was the Bank of China, for the activities mentioned in the service contract. This proves that the check, dated 2023, was for services under the contract with InfinitUs, which is a registered Filipino corporation. This confirms that China itself was paying,” he explained.
Moreover, Tolentino stressed that what’s being spread is a deliberate dissemination of information to promote the Chinese government’s policies.
"The money paid by the Chinese Embassy [wasn’t for public messaging] — it was for something hidden and sinister. It was to finance a troll farm,” he said.
He continued, “Ordinary social media users who friended or followed those fake personas were unknowingly interacting with accounts run by China. It’s now very clear: the Chinese government, through its embassy, is paying Filipinos to operate these troll farms.”
“All of the instructions,” he added, “are coming directly from the Chinese Embassy in Manila.”
As of press time, neither the Chinese Embassy nor InfinitUs Marketing Solutions has issued a statement in response to the allegations.