MANILA — A House lawmaker on Sunday urged authorities file criminal cases in relation to the alleged interference of China —  including supposedly hiring a PR firm in Makati to provide "keyboard warriors" on social media — in the upcoming elections.

There are indications that information operations are being conducted by bad actors in the Philippines who are "Chinese state sponsored" to interfere in the May 12 midterm polls, National Security Council Assistant Director General Jonathan Malaya earlier warned.

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He claimed that certain narratives from Beijing were being amplified by third-party individuals or local proxies in the Philippines.

Sen. Francis Tolentino meanwhile said at a Senate hearing that the Chinese Embassy in the Philippines hired Makati-based InfinitUs Marketing Solutions Inc. to provide "dedicated keyboard warriors" for crisis and issue management.

He said the firm had initiated campaigns criticizing government and "conveying the policies of the Chinese government.”

China has denied the claims, saying it has no interest in influencing Philippine elections. It has also regularly accused the Philippines of making up issues and of encouraging Sinophobia — the distrust and fear of Chinese people and culture.

UNACCEPTABLE, TREASONOUS

In a statement, House Deputy Majority Leader Paolo Ortega V of La Union called for the "swift filing of criminal cases and the passage of stronger laws against foreign election interference."

"This is no longer just foreign influence. This is foreign interference—designed to infiltrate our politics, confuse our people, and weaken our country from the inside," Ortega said.

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He claimed that there are candidates running in the elections with the blessing from a foreign interest, which he said was "unacceptable and treasonous".

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Ortega also claimed that "Chinese money was allegedly funneled into troll operations that created fake online personas to spread pro-China messaging while attacking the President, members of Congress, the judiciary, and the armed forces."

"Hindi ito simpleng online noise. This is an attack on our democracy. Binabayaran ang ating mga kababayan para siraan ang sarili nating bansa," he said.

(They are paying Filipinos to discredit our own country)

He urged voters to stay vigilant and watch out for candidates who echo pro-China narratives.

PR SOCIETY CONDEMNS USE OF FAKE ACCOUNTS

In a statement on Saturday, the Public Relations Society of the Philippines said it condemns the reported use of fake accounts "to actively spread disinformation and attack supporters of the Philippines’ claims over the West Philippine Sea."

It said that while PR practitioners are supposed to "uphold and strengthen the reputation of our clients and organizations, this is not to be done at the expense of societal good."

It stressed that members are expected to follow ethical standards in the profession.

"As an organization, PRSP does not condone acts rooted in fraud and deceit. We believe that the power of communication should be harnessed for the public good and we encourage our members to honor and observe our Code of Ethics and Professional Standards for the Practice of Public Relations." 

It urged the public to be vigilant against attempts at disinformation and called on authorities to investigate cases of misinformation and disinformation thoroughly and with due process.

ALLEGATIONS ALARM PALACE, SOME SENATORS

Malacañang on Friday expressed alarm over reports that China was supposedly interfering in the Philippines' 2025 midterm elections.

The Palace said an investigation has already been ordered.

Senate President Pro Tempore Jinggoy Estrada also joined calls for a thorough investigation into attempts "to influence our democratic process, whether they are foreign entities or local collaborators."

He said that Filipinos have already been misled by Alice Guo — the dismissed mayor of Bamban, Tarlac accused of being a Chinese national and spy — and that that should never happen again.

A spokesperson for China’s Foreign Ministry has denied that Beijing is interested in interfering in the Philippines’ midterm elections next month.

“China follows the principle of non-interference in other countries’ domestic affairs. We have no interest in interfering in Philippine elections,” Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Guo Jiakun told reporters.

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— Rowegie Abanto with reports from Pia Gutierrez and David Dizon, ABS-CBN News

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