The Philippines is pushing back on two fronts against what officials describe as a widening Chinese influence campaign, with the country's defense chief raising unproven suspicions that some Filipino officials may be receiving support from Beijing even as the military and lawmakers move to shut down Chinese propaganda networks online. According to Inquirer.net, Defense Secretary Gilberto "Gibo" Teodoro Jr. told Congress this week that certain elected officials may be receiving backing from China in exchange for statements that undercut Manila's position in the West Philippine Sea.
A Defense Chief Raises Suspicion Without Naming Names
Teodoro made the claim during a congressional budget briefing on August 26, telling lawmakers that "some politicians clearly echo China's talking points, based on their public statements." He acknowledged that his department has no way to independently verify the suspicion, since the Department of National Defense has no access to bank deposits or financial records, and said financial authorities should be the ones to investigate any potential money trail linked to Beijing. Teodoro declined to say what form of support the officials might be receiving, telling reporters he did not want to jeopardize any ongoing law enforcement work. The remarks extend a fight Teodoro has waged for weeks: he has previously called on officials who oppose the government's West Philippine Sea policy to resign, a position the Palace has publicly backed, while Vice President Sara Duterte has challenged him to name the individuals he has in mind rather than leave the accusation hanging over the bureaucracy at large.
The Armed Forces Formally Backs A Broader Crackdown
The military has now put its own weight behind the campaign. According to the Manila Times, Rear Admiral Roy Vincent Trinidad, the Armed Forces of the Philippines' spokesman for West Philippine Sea affairs, said on August 25 that the military "acknowledges and fully supports the call of lawmakers" to mount a government wide response to Chinese disinformation. Trinidad argued that defending Philippine sovereignty in the West Philippine Sea no longer stops at ships and patrols, but now extends into what he called the digital and information domains, where he said Foreign Malign Influence operations rely on coordinated online proxy accounts, deceptive media outlets and psychological manipulation meant to destabilize the country from within.
Trinidad pointed to the case of the BRP Sierra Madre, the grounded Philippine navy vessel that anchors Manila's presence at Ayungin Shoal, as a template for how Beijing's own promises have shifted over time. He noted that China had described structures it built on Mischief Reef in 1995 as temporary shelters for fishermen, only for that outpost to grow into what he described as a 550 hectare military airbase complete with runways and missile installations, a history the AFP argues undercuts Beijing's more recent claims about Philippine intentions at Ayungin. The AFP has also continued to cite the 2016 Arbitral Tribunal ruling, which affirmed the Philippines' sovereign rights over the shoal, as the legal foundation for its position.
Lawmakers Push To Block A Chinese Linked Facebook Page
The legislative push preceded the AFP's endorsement by only a few days. House lawmakers led by Representative Robert Ace Barbers had already called on the National Telecommunications Commission to restrict access to "Media Unlocked," a Facebook page they accuse of spreading Chinese state narratives about the West Philippine Sea, comparing the request to existing government restrictions on pornographic content. "NTC should block these China misinformation pages the same way that government cracks down on porn sites," Barbers said, also proposing that agencies produce frame by frame video explainers debunking the page's claims and expand media literacy programs aimed at young Filipinos. Separate reporting on the page's origins has described Media Unlocked as a Chinese state linked network that has specifically targeted the AFP and the Department of National Defense with its content, a characterization further coverage of the network has continued to track.
Even The Security Council Is Being Told To Do More
The pressure has not stopped at the AFP and the telecom regulator. According to Inquirer.net, officials have also urged the National Security Council itself to intensify its own counter-propaganda efforts, arguing that the body tasked with coordinating the government's overall West Philippine Sea messaging needs to move with the same urgency now being demanded of the military and Congress. The push reflects a shift in how Manila frames the dispute: alongside the ships, sand cays and shoals that have dominated headlines for years, officials are increasingly describing the contest with Beijing as one being fought just as intensely in the information space. （Related： As Japan-Philippines Defense Pact Activates, Beijing Increases Presence in Contested Waters ｜ Latest ）
A Campaign Now Running On Multiple Fronts At Once
Taken together, the moves mark one of the most coordinated pushes yet by Manila's security establishment against what it characterizes as a Chinese influence operation aimed at Filipino public opinion. Teodoro's unproven suspicion about officials possibly receiving support from Beijing has drawn pointed skepticism from critics who want him to name names, even as the AFP, the House of Representatives and now calls directed at the National Security Council all point toward the same underlying worry: that the fight over the West Philippine Sea is no longer confined to the water, but is increasingly being contested in newsfeeds, comment sections and the loyalties of the country's own officials.
