A ranking national security official said yesterday that Chinese proxies in the country are conducting operations to influence the outcome of next month’s midterm elections.
“There are indications that information operations are being conducted or that Chinese state-sponsored actors in the Philippines are actually interfering in the forthcoming elections,” NSC Assistant Director General Jonathan Malaya said at the Senate.
This was his reply to Sen. Francis Tolentino’s question on whether foreign interference in the 2025 elections is happening.
“We are very alarmed about this situation, as Sen. Tolentino revealed in his exposé, troll farms are producing more than just pro-China narratives. There’s also a clear intention to interfere in Philippine politics,” Malaya said during a Senate Special Committee hearing on maritime security.
He cited as examples “narratives” that are being posted on social media from Beijing, which “are being amplified by third-party individuals who are their proxies.”
These are based in the Philippines, the NSC official added.
“Whatever script comes out of Beijing, that’s exactly what they say in the Philippines. We can see that Mr. Chairman, for example, the Balikatan Exercises are happening right now, you will see narratives coming from Beijing that the Balikatan Exercises is a threat to regional peace and stability and you’ll also hear that kind of statement coming from local proxies who follow the script coming from Beijing,” Malaya said.
Hel confirmed that the NSC has already identified the local proxies they are referring to.
For his part, Tolentino warned that China is funding troll farms and covert disinformation campaigns to ensure that anti-China candidates lose in the upcoming elections.
“It is an attack on our freedom. It is an attack on what we deserve. It is an attack on the ability of every Filipino citizen to enjoy free press, learn the truth, speak and be heard, and stand up for ourselves and stand united,” he said.
Tolentino, who chairs the Committee on Maritime and Admiralty zones, raised the alarm, presenting documents linking Beijing to information operations meant to undermine pro-sovereignty voices.
He said the operation is not just about smearing individuals but damaging the credibility of the Philippine government and its institutions.
“We are certain that the Chinese are not finished spying on us. They are doing this because, as Filipinos, we have the temerity to stand up to the Chinese,” he said.
Tolentino claimed that the firm Infinitus Marketing Solutions is coordinating with Chinese entities to carry out online attacks disguised as organic public sentiment.
The senator showed screenshots of troll posts accusing the Philippine government of provoking China with its maritime policies and questioning its motives in asserting territorial claims.
He emphasized that many of the troll accounts also echo pro-China narratives, downplay the West Philippine Sea conflict, and push the idea that the country cannot prosper without Beijing.
“Among the objectives of this sinister operation is to convince Filipinos that without China, they would be ‘dirt poor people in a backwater country,” he said.
The senator warned that the real objective is to weaken the Philippines from within by eroding confidence in its democratic processes and defense policies.
On Wednesday, the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) told Tolentino’s panel that the surveillance of Philippine vessels en route to the West Philippine Sea may be part of a wider and coordinated espionage operation tied to Chinese maritime forces.
Tolentino expressed alarm over intelligence reports that the Chinese Navy and Coast Guard appeared to be aware of Philippine resupply missions even before the ships departed from Palawan, suggesting the presence of spies.
Editor’s Note: This is an updated article. Originally posted with the headline: “NSC to probe alleged China interference in Philippine elections”
