MANILA -- A lawmaker has urged the National Security Council on Monday to name the candidates in the country’s midterm polls who are allegedly receiving support from the Chinese government. 

House Deputy Minority Leader and ACT Teachers Party List Representative France Castro issued the statement after NSC Assistant Director General Jonathan Malaya told the Senate that “there are indications that information operations are being conducted that are Chinese state-sponsored in the Philippines and are actually interfering in the forthcoming elections.”

Castro also joined calls for a thorough probe on the matter.

“‘Yung sinasabi nilang mga kandidato na sinusuportahan or influenced by the other country, kung China man ‘yan, kung ito ay suportang material, suportang mga disinformation against doon sa mga kalaban ng mga kandidatong sinusuportahan ng China, kailangan talaga maging specific ang National Security Council. At ang Comelec din dapat ay maging aware din sila, at maimbestigahan din nila kung may katotohanan ito. Pero dahil malapit na ang eleksyon, isa kasi itong magiging violation sa Omnibus Election Code… Dapat seryosohin talaga ‘yung investigation dito,” she said.

“Magkaroon ng thorough investigation dito dahil hindi lang ito treasonous. Siyempre ito'y malaking violation din doon sa Election Code. Tingin ko rin may kinalaman din ito doon sa pagiging threat sa democracy, pagiging independent natin, baka mayroon din itong problema din sa soberanya. Kasi, syempre, kapag influenced ka… ng foreign country, ang loyalty mo ay hindi sa Pilipinas. Ang loyalty ay sa ibang bansa na tumulong sa'yo para manalo. Kaya kailangan talaga ng thorough investigation dito,” Castro added.

The lawmaker urged voters to be vigilant and not to support candidates supposedly backed by foreign entities.

“Dapat alamin ito ng ating mga voters. At huwag i-boto ‘yung mga nagpapa-impluwensya, hindi lang siguro sa China, nagpapa-impluensya sa iba pang mga foreign entity,” Castro said.

“Nakaka-worry ito. Kung sila ay supportado ng China… ang dadalhin nito ay ‘yung mga stand ng China instead of ‘yung stand ng Pilipino, ng Pilipinas,” she added.

China’s Foreign Ministry has denied the allegations, saying Beijing has “no interest in interfering in Philippine elections.”