Lawmakers representing both houses of Congress warned against inevitable erosion in Philippine democracy if Beijing succeeds in its effort to influence the outcome of next month’s midterm elections in favor of pro-China candidates.
Senate Majority Leader Francis Tolentino said once Chinese collaborators are seated in the legislature, they are likely to work for the nullification of laws asserting Philippine territorial sovereignty, including the Philippine Maritime Zones Law (Republic Act 12064).
“If the Maritime Zones Law is repealed in the next Congress with the help of pro-China lawmakers, our foundation for defending the West Philippine Sea and the Philippine Rise will weaken. We will be crippled,” he said Sunday.
The Chinese Embassy in Manila has maintained that accusations of meddling were baseless and urged Philippine politicians to refrain from dragging China into local political issues for personal gain.
“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 Chinese Embassy said in a statement.
“Such attempts are despicable and doomed to failure,” the Embassy added.
Tolentino said reversing the law would squander the hard-earned victories of the country, including the 2016 Hague arbitral ruling that invalidated China’s nine-dash line claim.
“This would allow China to further interfere in our territories under the pretense of freedom of navigation,” he said.
The senator also pointed out the significance of the Maritime Zones Law, enacted last year to enforce the arbitral award and solidify the country’s maritime entitlements.
He emphasized China’s particular interest in the Philippine Rise, a resource-rich undersea plateau east of Luzon, where Chinese research ships and drones have been frequently monitored.
The government recently filed an official map of the Philippine Rise with the International Seabed Authority to assert its jurisdiction, in line with Republic Act 12064.
For his part, La Union Rep. Paolo Ortega V said there is mounting evidence of a Chinese state-sponsored effort to secure election victories for Beijing’s lackeys in Philippine politics.
“This is no longer just foreign influence. This is foreign interference designed to infiltrate our politics, confuse our people, and weaken our country from the inside,” he said Sunday.
“There are candidates who seemed they have the blessings of the foreign interest. This is not just unacceptable. This is treasonous. In the upcoming elections, we must reject Team China. The Philippines must win, and not the foreigners. Team Pilipinas…,” he added.
He condemned what he described as a “well-funded and well-orchestrated digital assault” against the Philippine electorate, noting that Chinese money was allegedly funneled into troll operations that created fake online personas to spread pro-China messaging while attacking President Marcos, members of Congress, the judiciary and the Armed Forces.
“Team China is destroying the trust of the people in this election, using our countrymen,” he said.
He called on voters to stay vigilant and critical, especially of candidates who repeat anti-Balikatan, anti-EDCA, or pro-Beijing narratives.
“There is a script from Beijing. And we have locals who play with the script. The Filipino people must reject them,” he stressed.
He pushed for the swift filing of criminal cases and the passage of stronger laws against those collaborating with foreign powers to subvert the Philippine electoral process.
“The choice in May is simple. Choose the pro-Filipino or just allow China to choose our leaders. For the sake of our future, our freedom, and our flag, we must choose wisely,” Ortega said.
Meanwhile, the Public Relations Society of the Philippines (PRSP) sharply condemned the apparent use of fake accounts by certain PR firms to spread disinformation on issues surrounding the Philippines’ territorial interests.
“While our role is to uphold and strengthen the reputation of our clients and organizations, this is not to be done at the expense of societal good,” the group said in a statement over the weekend.
“We believe in the power of words and stories to shape public perception and opinion. As such, we exert utmost care and effort to ensure that we adhere to a set of ethical standards in the practice of our profession,” PRSP added.
The group urged its membership to uphold the code of ethics and the Professional Standards for the Practice of Public Relations, which emphasized putting public interest as a primary guide, maintaining objectivity and accuracy, and upholding the law.