Alliance Warns China Aims for Senate Favored by Pro-China Candidates in 2025
The Philippines finds itself in a delicate political situation, with security, law enforcement, and intelligence personnel raising concerns over disinformation and influence operations with links to China or Chinese networks since January 2022.
These operations, it is claimed, are aimed at swaying the results of the upcoming May 12 elections. Civilian security officials have pointed to indications that Chinese state-sponsored information influence operations are at play.
Senator Francis Tolentino, who led a Senate probe, alleged that the Chinese embassy in Manila had contracted a local marketing firm to push Beijing's propaganda on Philippine social media. He asserted that the activities are coordinated and orchestrated, suggesting a clear intention to weaken the Philippines.
The bilateral relationship between the Philippines and China has turned tense in recent years, with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.'s state policy asserting the Philippines' rights, entitlements, and claims in the West Philippine Sea. This is a stark contrast to the approach under the administration of Rodrigo Duterte, who sought a pivot to China.
Reelectionist Senator Tolentino claims that China has plans to have a majority of pro-China senators in the 2025 elections. However, there is no publicly available information or credible sources that specify which candidates for the Philippine Senate in the 2025 elections are supported by Chinese authorities or are expected to achieve a majority in the Senate with such backing.
The Chinese embassy in Manila denies any interest in interfering in the Philippines' elections, adhering to the principle of non-interference in other countries' internal affairs. However, accusations towards China and obstruction of its normal functioning have been met with strong condemnation by the embassy.
Former senator Ping Lacson, a retired cop with intelligence sector experience, finds the situation "scarier than we think." ACT-CIS Representative Erwin Tulfo, among the Alyansa bets who has topped voters' preference surveys, stated that it is "obvious" that China wants a "Chinese-controlled Senate and Chinese-controlled House of Representatives."
As the Philippines navigates these complex geopolitical waters, Senator Tolentino cited alleged espionage activities across the country that Philippine security and law enforcement officials had earlier flagged to have Chinese connections. In response, Senator Lacson urges the intelligence community to seek help from the private sector to improve the country's information integrity.
Meanwhile, Rodrigo Duterte, whose daughter Vice President Sara Duterte was once an ally of Marcos, is now detained in The Hague awaiting trial over crimes against humanity charges related to his bloody drug war. The political landscape in the Philippines continues to evolve, with the upcoming elections serving as a crucial test of the nation's resilience and unity.
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