MANILA, Philippines — China is exploiting the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte and the flood control scandal to disrupt the government and advance its expansionist goal, the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) spokesman for the West Philippine Sea said yesterday.
At the Saturday News Forum in Quezon City, Rear Admiral Roy Vincent Trinidad said their social media monitoring and analytics showed foreign malign influence at work on the two issues.
While centering on the West Philippine Sea issue, China’s online activities have also been noted in other issues including the raid on Sanjia Steel Corp. plant in Tagoloan, Misamis Oriental last May 15 where around 69 Chinese workers were rounded up.
“They are taking advantage of this because number one, the pattern is clear. Number two, the issues being raised are false and being twisted to their favor,” Trinidad said.
The Chinese embassy has been waging a word war with Defense Secretary Gilbert Teodoro for his defense of the Sanjia Steel plant raid.
Trinidad said China has been demonizing government officials on social media platforms, particularly Philippine Coast Guard spokesman for the WPS Rear Admiral Jay Tarriela for his strong denunciation of Chinese aggression in Philippine waters.
“This is part of the approach of the Chinese Communist Party, using information because their doctrine is the acme of skill or ‘yung pinakamagaling na manlalaban ay ‘yung hindi mo na kailangan gumamit ng puwersa (the best fighting skill is one without using force),” he said.
At the same forum, AFP spokesperson Col. Francel Margareth Padilla said they are coordinating with agencies in charge of cybersecurity to thwart China’s attacks against the Philippines on social media platforms.
The officials believe China’s attacks will continue as the national and local elections in 2028 approach. “We urge the public to be mindful of the information they get online,” Padilla said.
Appeal to youth
On Friday at a forum organized by the Rotary Club of Chinatown Circle in partnership with the Philippine Navy, Teodoro called on Filipinos to do their part in actively defending the country’s sovereign rights.
Launched during the forum was the Bantay Dagat Youth Ambassadors-West Philippine Sea (WPS) Edition Caravan.
“As populations expand in the world, as resources grow more scarce, as needs grow more scarce, there is a temptation to expand and that we cannot allow for your sake in the future,” he said.
“You cannot stop the growth of human beings, the growth of society... But what you can stop is somebody else taking what should be yours to support yourself and giving it to somebody else.”
“Because all the resources, whether in the West Philippine Sea, in the internal waters, in the Pacific Ocean side of the Philippines, are sources of potential sustenance, energy for future generations,” Teodoro stressed.
“The Philippines is demographically and geographically unique, being 20 percent land and 80 percent water. So much so that we have 2.4 million square kilometers of maritime domain versus a much, much smaller area of land domain,” he said.
Teodoro reaffirmed the Philippines’ commitment to upholding international law, particularly the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) and the 2016 Arbitral Award.
He also highlighted ongoing efforts to strengthen the country’s defense posture through military modernization, strategic infrastructure development and expanded defense partnerships with like-minded nations.
Teodoro explained that the new Status of Visiting Forces Agreements (SOVFA) with Canada and New Zealand have already entered into force, while that with France is awaiting Senate concurrence.
“You can see that these alliances are for shared interests. And what are these interests? That is to secure the maritime domain for the supply chains of like-minded countries who feel threatened by expansionism in their own borders. We need to push back and we need to fight for a proper interpretation of international law,” he said.
“Be convinced that what you’re doing is important,” he said, addressing the youth. — Michael Punongbayan