Chinese flags wave with Philippine flags along Roxas Boulevard in Manila on November 19, 2018, ahead of Chinese President Xi Jinping's state visit in the country. Mark Demayo, ABS-CBN News/file 

MANILA (UPDATE) —  The Chinese Embassy allegedly contracted a Philippine company to work as a troll farm or a group of "keyboard warriors" with the goal of criticizing the government and spreading disinformation.

This was the revelation of Senate Majority Floor Leader Francis Tolentino, who is also chairperson of the Special Committee on Philippine Maritime and Admiralty Zones.

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Tolentino showed a copy of a supposed service agreement between the Chinese Embassy in the Philippines and Makati-based InfinitUs Marketing Solutions Inc. during the committee’s hearing on Thursday.

Wu Chenqi, the embassy's director for media and public relations, was its identified representative on the agreement.

Under the supposed agreement, InfinitUs would be “the authorized agency to handle their Social Media issue and pre-crisis management.”

It also read that the “provider’s dedicated keyboard warriors play a vital role in the overall effectiveness of the issue management project.”

Tolentino took exception to the arrangement.

He disclosed that some of the work the alleged troll farm did was to propagate the disadvantages of the Typhon missile system of the United States in the Philippines, and the dangers of President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr’s regime considering the “history of its dictatorship family.”

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Tolentino also said they found out that 330 fraudulent Facebook and X accounts were created to spread disinformation.

“Hindi po ito normal PR campaign. Ang ginagawa po is to openly provide information and convey the policies of the Chinese government,” he said.

(This is not a normal PR campaign. What they do is to openly provide information and convey the policies of the Chinese government)

He said the bogus social media accounts worked to make it seem that they were conveying the sentiments of legitimate users.

“[S]ubalit ito pala nagpapatunay na binayaran ng People’s Republic of China para sirain hindi lang ang kredibilidad ng isang tao o namumuno, kungdi ng ating bansa," he added.

(But this shows that the People's Republic of China paid them to destroy the credibility not just of a person or a leader, but of the country)

Disinformation researchers, including Dr. Jonathan Corpus Ong, noted an increase in the use of disinformation and influence operations since the 2019 elections.

These operations were run by Philippine PR agencies and firms and offered as a service to clients.

Tolentino showed a copy of a September 11, 2023 check for P930,000 that he said the embassy paid InfinitUs.

“The money that the Chinese Embassy paid was for something hidden and sinister. It was to finance a troll farm. Troll farm po yun. A covert disinformaton and influence operation against the Philippine government and the Filipino people,” he said.

He said that China financed the campaign because it “does not want the Philippines to have the means to defend its territory and sovereignty.” 

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National Security Council (NSC) Assistant Director General Jonathan Malaya said what Tolentino revealed was consistent with how China supposedly operates as the information space has become a battleground.

He said among China's tactics is media and information warfare. 

“It is very alarming... We are very worried about the implications to Philippine national security," Malaya said.

Tolentino appealed for a cohesive front to confront such harmful activities, including creating a strong and effective law on spying.

He also wants the government to identify and go after more troll farms.

ABS-CBN News is still trying to get the side of the Chinese Embassy, which has in the past denied allegations against it, including of deploying Chinese nationals for espionage in parts of the Philippines, as fabricated to make it look bad. 

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Meanwhile, the NSC said it has identified candidates who are allegedly helping spread narratives from China to influence the upcoming midterm elections. 

Malaya did not name the said candidates.

“Identified na rin namin yung mga kandidato,” Malaya said after the hearing. “Si Senator Tolentino isa sa mga sinisiraan because of his position on the maritime zones law.”

In a press conference,Tolentino said he felt the attacks.  

“Sa ground ok naman ang mga tao sa palengke, iba naman yung lumalabas sa mga survey,” Tolentino said.

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Aside from candidates, local proxies who amplify scripts from China also include influencers, according to Malaya. He said money is most probably involved.

“Mostly influencers, some of them are here, some of them are based in China, nag-aaral doon, they are on a scholarship there in China so fully paid by the Chinese state, but they continue to operate,” the NSC official explained. “They are Filipino citizens but they are doing this at the behest of the PRC (People’s Republic of China).” 

“In terms of influencers mga more than 10, mga 10 din naman at mga mabibigat na pangalan,” he added.

But since there are no laws that cover such activities, Malaya hopes the Commission on Elections (Comelec) can help.

“It is a thin line between freedom of speech and disinformation,” Malaya remarked. “Baka may mahanap si Comelec na regulation during elections na puwedeng maging basehan for us to be able to file charges against these people.”  

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Malaya said he was able to talk to the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) during the hearing and it committed to start an investigation and file cases in relation to the issue.  

“Dun muna tayo sa local company,” Malaya said.

In a message, InfinitUs told ABS-CBN News, “We will not be releasing any statement at the moment as we are currently looking into the matter.”

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