‘Foreign malign influence’ going ‘street level’ —AFP
Foreign-influence operations targeting the Philippines are moving to a more “street-level” approach, using Filipino or Tagalog and integrating themselves in divisive domestic issues to make these campaigns harder to detect, a military official said on Tuesday.
Reservist Rear Adm. Roy Vincent Trinidad, Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) spokesperson for the West Philippine Sea (WPS), said the shift to street-level messaging became apparent in the “first quarter” of this year, as the West Philippine Sea became linked to other local controversies.
The intended discourse “used to be clearly identifiable as pro-Davao [when it comes to] West Philippine Sea issues,” Trinidad said in a press briefing. But “today, the formalized influence approach is they meddle with local issues.”
He cited the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte, the flood control scandal, and the criticisms against President Marcos and also Defense Secretary Gilbert Teodoro Jr. as among the issues the AFP is monitoring for possible foreign malign influence.
Raid on Chinese-run firm
One local issue which, according to Trinidad, has been exploited by foreign propaganda is the May 15 raid on Chinese-run Philippine Sanjia Steel Corp.
The raid at an ecozone in Misamis Oriental led to the arrest of 69 Chinese nationals and the discovery of radioactive materials in the Sanjia Steel facility. The Chinese Embassy at that time had filed a diplomatic protest over the arrests.
Trinidad said “It is now more difficult to detect [foreign influence] because it is already mixing with local issues.”
He also said the language “now is [more] prevalent in Tagalog,” whereas “before, it was mostly in English.”
“Attacks on the SND (Secretary of National Defense), attacks on [Rear Adm.] Jay Tarriela are now in Tagalog,” Trinidad also pointed out, referring to Teodoro and to the spokesperson of the Philippine Coat Guard for the West Philippine Sea.
Shift in language
Trinidad did not identify specific social media posts or accounts which are foreign influence operations.
He also said foreign engagement with the Philippines should not automatically be considered malign influence, including activities involving China.
“There are different areas that we engage, different countries—to include the great country of China,” he said.
Nevertheless, he noted a shift in language among officials of the Chinese Embassy.
“When it’s the deputy spokesperson of the Chinese Embassy, they use Tagalog and street-level [phrasing]. When it’s the spokesman of the Chinese Embassy, his tone is diplomatic,” Trinidad said.
Soc-med engagements
The shift to a more familiar, informal messaging is part of efforts to make social-media content harder to identify as foreign and more acceptable to Filipinos, Trinidad said.
“Definitely, this is part of their approach. They are adjusting to make it more acceptable to our fellow countrymen, so they can conceal it better,” he said.
“We [in the AFP] need to ensure that all engagement is pure, that all engagements are within the Philippines’ stance on the West Philippine Sea,” he said.
According to Trinidad, engagements that seek to undermine the Philippine position or to demonize government officials defending the country’s maritime rights could amount to interference in Philippine internal affairs and be considered foreign malign influence.
“Before liking, before forwarding, before clicking, make sure carefully if what you are reading is true,” he said.
