MANILA, Philippines — The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) yet again cautioned the entire Filipino nation not to bite into disinformation, rewritten history and fabricated stories on issues concerning national security and maritime domain especially with the noted increase in foreign malign influence (FMI) all over the information space.
“We welcome our partners and allies who abide by the laws of the land to do site surveys and inspections for exercises with the AFP. We do not welcome adversaries who churn out false narratives about legal law enforcement operations,” Rear Admiral Roy Vincent Trinidad, AFP spokesman for the West Philippine Sea told reporters in a press briefing on Tuesday.
“Mag-iingat po tayo sa pakikinig sa ganitong kwento (Let us be careful in consuming such stories),” he added.
The AFP’s caution came amid a series of disinformation propaganda by the Chinese Embassy in Manila over twisted facts on the West Philippine Sea as well as recent law enforcement operations that had been the topic of relentless debates between the embassy and Philippine authorities.
Among recent exchanges were the raids of five substandard steel plants in the Philippines where Chinese nationals were apprehended over alleged immigration, workplace safety, environmental and economic violations.
The Chinese Embassy criticized Philippine authorities over supposed selective law enforcement and military involvement among others in such operations, especially on the May raid of Philippine Sanjia Steel Corporation in Tagoloan, Misamis Oriental.
Philippine authorities, specifically Teodoro and the Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission directly pointed to state-level backing of the Philippine Sanjia Steel Corporation operations strategically located near critical government and military infrastructures.
“If you look at the situation in Tagoloan, it is close to a future projected site for development for a naval base. It is close to Lumbia Airport, an EDCA site. It is close to other critical government infrastructure. That activity was a law enforcement operation fully supported by the AFP,” Trinidad said justifying Manila’s position on the Sanjia raid.
Teodoro publicly accused the Chinese Embassy in Manila of acting as a PR firm and lawyer covering up illegal activities on Philippine soil because of its staunch defense of operation leads and its push back on public communications.
FMI spike
The AFP said there has been a noted spike in foreign malign influence (FMI) over the past four months.
FMIs are hostile efforts by a foreign government—or its proxies—to covertly or coercively shape public opinion, policies, and democratic institutions in another country to advance its own interests.
Trinidad said such operations specifically target government officials, including Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr., dissemination of false narratives on Bajo de Masinloc (Scarborough Shoal), the West Philippine Sea and Ayungin Shoal as well as distortion of present and historical facts aiming to divide the nation.
