Ruling Party Senator Presents Contract
"Suspicions of Local Election Intervention"
There have been claims that the Chinese government hired a comment army to shape and consolidate pro-China public opinion and to intervene in the Philippine general elections.
According to Yonhap News on the 25th (local time), citing local media such as the Inquirer and Philippine Star, suspicions have been raised within Philippine political circles that the Chinese Embassy in the Philippines hired a local "comment army." It is alleged that this comment army not only spreads fake news and pro-China sentiment, but also does not hesitate to attack politicians critical of China, including President Ferdinand Marcos.
According to Yonhap News, these claims are not baseless speculation. Francis Tolentino, the floor leader of the ruling party in the Senate, presented a copy of a contract between the Chinese Embassy in the Philippines and the local marketing company "Infinitus" as evidence at the National Assembly the previous day. Infinitus, established in 2018, is known to have Chinese companies such as the information technology (IT) company Huawei and the aluminum manufacturer Zhongwang as clients.
The contract, signed in August 2023, states that Infinitus would provide dedicated "keyboard warriors" (comment army) for the Chinese Embassy. There is also a copy of a check showing that the embassy paid Infinitus 930,000 Philippine pesos (about 23.7 million won) in September, one month after the contract was signed.
Senator Francis Tolentino of the Philippines revealed a copy of the contract between the Chinese Embassy in the Philippines and a marketing company at the Philippine Congress on the 24th (local time). The document mentions that the company provides dedicated "keyboard warriors." Philippine Star website
Senator Tolentino specifically claimed that an 11-member team created about 300 Facebook accounts and about 30 X (formerly Twitter) accounts disguised as ordinary Filipinos. These accounts were used to spread fake news and pro-China narratives on a variety of issues, including the South China Sea dispute and Philippine foreign policy. In addition, there is evidence that these accounts were also used to slander lawmakers critical of China.
He argued, "The money paid by the Chinese Embassy was used for something secretive and insidious. It was intended to fund the comment army," emphasizing that China targeted the Philippine government and its people through the comment army.
Senator Francis Tolentino of the Philippines, who claimed that the Chinese Embassy in the Philippines hired a 'comment army.' EPA Yonhap News Photo
Jonathan Malaya, spokesperson for the Philippine National Security Council (NSC), also appeared before the legislature and stated that signs have been detected of organizations in the Philippines, suspected of being supported by China, intervening in the general elections to be held next month. Spokesperson Malaya said that China appears to be supporting candidates it favors in the general elections, while targeting those it does not favor for attacks.
However, the Chinese government has completely denied these allegations. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jia-kun stated at a press briefing the previous day that China adheres to the principle of non-interference in the internal affairs of other countries and has no intention of intervening in the Philippine elections.
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