The Office of the National Security Adviser is already working on possible updates of the Foreign Agents Act to ensure transparency on Filipinos tapped as agents by foreign countries, such as China, to propagate certain narratives, retired Supreme Court Senior Associate Justice Antonio Carpio said.
In an interview on Sunday, Carpio backed the move, saying the law must be amended “because nobody is registering” despite the existing legislation.
“There should be a dedicated office in the Department of Justice monitoring the media activities of probable agents and asking them why they are publicly spreading propaganda favoring China against the Philippines,” he said.
“If you are a foreign agent, if you are working for China, the whole country will know that you are speaking for China, that you are being paid,” Carpio said in a separate radio interview.
He noted that individuals who fail to register could face imprisonment or fines, clarifying that the restriction is not meant to deny freedom of expression but to ensure transparency.
He said stiffer penalties would deter trolls funded by China from peddling narratives favorable to Beijing.
Earlier, Palace Press Officer Claire Castro said the government is monitoring reports that foreign entities may be attempting to influence Philippine public discourse, including alleged Chinese propaganda in local media.
She acknowledged concerns raised by the non-profit group SeaLight, which claimed that the Chinese Embassy is allegedly directing Chinese-language media in the Philippines to advance Beijing’s narrative.
“It has long been reported that foreign countries interfere in our politics. We at the PCO, we respect freedom of expression and freedom of speech, but we condemn any disinformation or fake news,” Castro said.
She said the PCO is coordinating with the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) and the Cybercrime Investigation and Coordination Center (CICC) to verify reports of unlawful or manipulative activities.
The Chinese Embassy in Manila earlier publicly criticized several Filipino officials, including Philippine Coast Guard spokesperson Commodore Jay Tarriela and lawmakers who have spoken out against China’s activities in the WPS.
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., however, has rejected calls from some lawmakers to declare Chinese ambassador Jing Quan and other embassy officials persona non grata following their recent verbal tussle with Filipino officials over the West Philippine Sea issue.
A recent OCTA nationwide survey found 79 percent of respondents identified China as the country’s biggest external threat while 60 percent of Filipino adults believe the Philippines should not trust China.
