Vote for the Philippines

Short for calling for their expulsion from the Philippines, Senator Francis “Tol” Tolentino could no longer hold his punches following discovery of involvement in mischiefs by certain Chinese embassy officials in Manila. Senator Tolentino in particular strongly took exception to what the Chinese embassy branded as “heinous accusation towards China” on what came out of the Senate public hearings he conducted last week.

In this week’s Kapihan sa Manila Bay last Wednesday, Senator Tolentino fumed at the official response of Chinese embassy officials in Manila, headed by Ambassador Huang Xilian. In a press statement, the Chinese embassy in Manila reiterated its public declarations in the past that China adheres to the principle of non-interference in the internal affairs of other countries. “We noticed the attempts of some politicians to play the so-called China card to serve their political self-interests and boost their election prospects before the midterm election,” the embassy charged.

Senator Tolentino assailed the response of the Chinese embassy in Manila that merely evaded but could not controvert or refute the evidence presented at his Senate hearing of Beijing’s alleged tools of direct interference in the affairs of the state, including feared attempts to influence the results of the May 12 national and local elections in the Philippines. In his yet most stinging rebuttal, Tolentino argued these suspected espionage activities of arrested Chinese nationals have been taking place long before the election campaign period.

“What I’m doing is not just for election purposes. I have called China out since 2022,” Tolentino rebutted.

“Ambassador Huang should be summoned by the DFA and asked to explain this continuing espionage in the internal affairs of our country,” Tolentino demanded.

Tolentino scored what he believes are China’s insidious activities that have been taking place not only in the West Philippine Sea (WPS) but also in Philippine government agencies and private business operations. He bewailed the latest antics of Beijing’s stunt of the Chinese flag displayed at Sandy Cay by Chinese Coast Guard militiamen. Located just three kilometers or 12 nautical miles from our Pagasa Island in the WPS, the Sandy Cays are sandbar features that emerge from the sea during low tide and are submerged during high tide. While Sandy Cay is not capable of sustaining life, these sandbar features largely made up of corals are part of our country’s maritime territories, Tolentino stressed.

Tolentino noted with deep concern the breadth and extent of the campaign of the Chinese embassy in Manila in hiring what is called “keyboard warriors” through a local-based “troll farm” to apparently engaged in “fake” news and other forms of dis-information. He brought out facsimile copies of the contract and check payment as the damning evidence against Chinese embassy officials allegedly bankrolling a “troll farm” operator called InfinitUs Marketing Solutions based in Makati City.

As the principal author and sponsor of the landmark Philippine Maritime Zones Law under Republic Act (RA) 12064, Senator Tolentino found himself as the prime target of the troll farm’s bashing online in TikTok and other social media platforms. RA 12064 was signed into law by President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. (PBBM) in November last year. Since then, Senator Tolentino believes he has been targeted, especially in his re-election bid to the Senate, as one of the 11-man administration ticket Alyansa ng Bagong Pilipinas of PBBM.

As candidate number “61” (arranged alphabetically), Tolentino blames much the online bashing and dis-information campaign against him for his pre-election survey standing outside the “Magic 12’” winning circle in the senatorial race.

Leaving for a while from his busy campaign schedule last week, Tolentino resumed the public hearing, prompted by a Senate resolution that sought to look into the latest reported incidents involving suspected Chinese “spy” drones fished out from internal waters of the Philippines. At the public hearing last April 23 of the Senate panel on maritime and admiralty zones chaired by re-electionist Senator Tol, Rear Admiral Roy Vincent Trinidad, Navy spokesman for the WPS, presented the actual submersible drones and a buoy found by Filipino fishermen.

Tolentino’s committee also took into consideration Senate Resolution No. 1328, which sought an investigation on the alleged maritime spying activities conducted by six Chinese nationals and a Filipino in Subic, Zambales who were arrested by the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) last March 19, 2025. In the past few weeks and months, Tolentino took note that Chinese nationals were caught near Philippine military areas in the act of secretly collecting information about the country “that bears the hallmarks of espionage.”

Just last Monday, the NBI caught another Chinese national cruising in a rented vehicle with an illegal gadget that can capture mobile phone signals. Known as International Mobile Subscriber Identity (IMSI) “catcher,” it is a device that can be used for telephone eavesdropping and for intercepting mobile phone traffic and tracking.

“These events that happened in the past weeks – submersible drones, arrest of Chinese spies and the troll farm in Makati, paid and organized by the Chinese embassy, up to the recent arrest made yesterday right in front of Comelec premises in Intramuros – are all interconnected,” Tolentino asserted.

At the Kapihan sa Manila Bay, Tolentino announced that he will resume the Senate hearing on Monday, May 5, and invite the owners and operators of InfinitUs. Two of them, he cited, were named “Mr. Li.” Unfortunately, the senator conceded he cannot invite Chinese embassy officials to the Senate hearing because they enjoy diplomatic immunity.

Tolentino suggested to Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) Secretary Enrique Manalo to consider the option taken by Canada that acted on improper behavior of a Chinese diplomat assigned in its Toronto consulate, who was declared “persona non grata” in May 2023. A similar election-related offense led to the expulsion of another Chinese diplomat in the United States, the senator added.

Tolentino fears such overt acts indicate Beijing’s agenda to influence Filipino voters to support candidates whom they believe are more China-friendly. He, however, declined to identify who they are among the May 12 candidates. Whoever he or she or they may be, just vote for the Philippines.