The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) said on Tuesday that both domestic and foreign groups may be orchestrating disinformation campaigns to undermine its chain of command in the aftermath of former President Rodrigo Duterte’s arrest by the International Criminal Court (ICC).
During the latest press briefing in Navy headquarters, Rear Admiral Roy Vincent Trinidad—spokesperson for the Philippine Navy on the West Philippine Sea (WPS)—was asked about the potential involvement of China in efforts to destabilize the country following Duterte’s detention.
“Interest groups, domestic and foreign, would like to sow intrigue, disinformation, misinformation, malinformation, to weaken the chain of command and to cause it to break,” Trinidad said. He, however, did not mention any specific country or organization.
“During these times, it is important the AFP chain of command remains whole. We guarantee your security. We guarantee your safety. Under that security blanket, all players could engage in politics because of that security blanket that the AFP provides,” Trinidad added.
These statements were issued in response to the proliferation of fake news and disinformation on social media, including satirical posts and fabricated quote cards, designed to mislead the public following the arrest and detention of the Duterte patriarch in The Hague, Netherlands.
Duterte faces charges of crimes against humanity filed in the ICC for his controversial anti-drug campaign, which he spearheaded as mayor of Davao City and later as president.
The AFP has cautioned the public against social media pages and groups falsely claiming to represent or be connected with the military. It also urged the public to exercise extreme caution when engaging with or following these accounts to avoid falling victim to disinformation.
“We have observed the proliferation of unauthorized accounts using the AFP’s name and imagery, some with the intent to sow confusion and division,” it said.
“These unofficial pages and groups may promote and propagate unverified, false, or misleading information, potentially leading to public misperception and distrust,” the AFP added.