The Chinese flag is pictured in front of the facade of the Chinese embassy in Berlin on April 22, 2024. John Macdougall, AFP/File  

MANILA — The National Security Council (NSC) on Monday urged the Chinese Embassy in the Philippines to explain the payment it allegedly gave a firm for “dedicated keyboard warriors.” 

“They should explain to the world and to the Filipino people why they are interfering in the internal matters of the Philippine government and the Filipino people,” NSC Assistant Director General Jonathan Malaya said in a media briefing in Manila.

“Why are they trying to influence the political discourse in this country, which is something that no diplomatic nation should be doing?” he added.

Malaya last week flagged "indications" that "Chinese state sponsored" information operations were being conducted by bad actors to possibly interfere in the May 12 midterm polls. 

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Sen. Francis Tolentino said at a recent 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 the government and "conveying the policies of the Chinese government."

He showed a copy of a September 11, 2023, check for P930,000 that he said the Chinese Embassy paid InfinitUs.

China 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.

House leader calls for swift filing of cases over China's alleged election interference

“Blanket denials will not do,” Malaya argued.

NBI CASE?

Malaya said it is now up to the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) to build a case and file charges against individuals allegedly involved in Chinese interference in the Philippine elections.

"That's now the task of the NBI because Sen. Tolentino showed us the contract and the check," Malaya told ANC, when asked about the extent of involvement of the firm InfinitUs.

"That's also the smoking gun, the check, because that check is issued in the name of InfinitUs in the account of the Chinese Embassy," he added.

Tolentino's evidence, he said, "appeared to be legitimate." 

Chinese Embassy hired troll farm to spread disinformation — Tolentino

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.

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

Ortega added 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.

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—with a report from Victoria Tulad, ABS-CBN News