AFP open to ban AI use among officers amid DeepSeek concerns — official

An official of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) said Tuesday the organization is open to prohibiting its officers from using artificial intelligence (AI) bots amid national security concerns on Chinese AI application DeepSeek.

Brigadier General Constancio Espina III, Commander of the AFP's Communication, Electronics and Information Systems Service (CEISSAFP), said this during the Commission on Appointments (CA) committee on national defense hearing on the promotion of 36 AFP officers.

Batangas Rep. Marvey Mariño brought up concerns on the AFP's use of AI bots, particularly DeepSeek, noting that this might be used to gather information concerning national security.

Mariño asked the AFP officials if they have a policy on the use of AI, noting that Taiwan has already banned the DeepSeek in government agencies because of the software's alleged security risks.

Taiwan, like the Philippines, has an ongoing dispute with China.

"They did that in Taiwan already because it is a national security issue. Baka puwede kong malaman sa inyo kung meron kayong mga recommendation na ganu'n for us to be able to maybe create a law, or maybe the policy will just come from you para naman maprotektahan [tayo] because we're not just talking about physical espionage," Mariño said.

(They did that in Taiwan already because it is a national security issue. Perhaps I can learn from you if the AFP has a similar recommendation, so that perhaps we can create a law. Or maybe a policy will just come from you for our own protection, because we're not just talking about physical espionage.)

"We're talking about information that were actually feeding this AI application and it is learning, actually it can conclude strategies as far as what we can do, what we will do. So 'yun po 'yung problema dun sa DeepSeek... Alam naman natin we have dispute with China. (So that is the problem with DeepSeek... We all know that we have a dispute with China.) It is a Chinese company. So maybe if you can study as far as your group is concerned," he added.

This was seconded by CA Majority Leader and Camarines Sur Rep. Luis Raymund Villafuerte.

'Confidential matters'

In response, Espina said the AFP already has a policy prohibiting its officers to post or upload "confidential matters" on social media and other technologies.

Since this is a new technology, Espina said they are open to revising AFP's policy.

"Because of that new technology, there might be some revision on existing policies of the AFP, preventing us from using all of this technology for operational matters and matters of national security," he said.

"The AFP is seriously considering these kinds of technology, especially [if] it can be used against us. My point was the fact that it's not just DeepSeek, but other technologies that we are using that we need to use it with caution and then we need to not put in matters that will be detrimental to our national security," he told the CA panel.

The promotions of Espina and 35 other AFP officers were endorsed to the CA plenary and were eventually confirmed by the bicameral commission.

The other AFP officers were:

• Allan Jose L. Taguba to the rank of Brigadier General
• Ireneo D. Battung to the rank of Commodore
• Ted B. Dumosmog to the rank of Brigadier General
• Gerard V. Velez to the rank of Brigadier General (Reserve)
• Paulo C. Teodoro to the rank of Brigadier General
• Antonio Francisco Jr. to the rank of Major General
• Yegor Rey P. Barroquillo Jr. to the rank of Major General
• Antonio G. Nafarrete to the rank of Lieutenant General
• Francisco Domingo R. Fernandez to the rank of Brigadier General
• Isidro Alex C. Urriquia to the rank of Brigadier General
• Baltazar T. Catbagan to the rank of Brigadier General
• Roberto Emmanuel T. Feliciano to the rank of Brigadier General (Reserve)
• George P. Cabreros to the rank of Brigadier General (Reserve)
• Llewillyn S. Banaag to the rank of Major General
• Jose Eduardo F. Liboon to the rank of Brigadier General
• Ramil G. Oloroso to the rank of Major General
• Doroteo Jose M. Jalandoni to the rank of Major General
• Caezar E. Pascua to the rank of Colonel, Philippine Air Force
• Michael D. Guzman to the rank of Colonel, Philippine Air Force
• Harold Anthony F. Pascua to the rank of Brigadier General
• Richard M. David to the rank of Commodore
• Jayson G. Domingo to the rank of Colonel, Philippine Army
• Eusebio R. Ganitnit Jr. to the rank of Colonel, Philippine Army
• Edwin L. Parcia to the rank of Colonel, Philippine Air Force
• Ronilo G. Desingaño to the rank of Colonel, Philippine Army
• Nick A. Ombao to the rank of Colonel, Philippine Air Force
• Alexon B. Ramos to the rank of Colonel, Philippine Air Force
• Lloyd S. Cabacungan to the rank of Major General
• Angelito R. Retuta to the rank of Brigadier General
• Rommel M. Agpaoa to the rank of Colonel, Philippine Army
• Andro Val P. Abayon to the rank of Commodore
• Adolfo B. Espuelas Jr. to the rank of Brigadier General
• Michele B. Anayron Jr. to the rank of Major General
• Ulysses S. Marquez to the rank of Major General
• Jonjie C. Juguilon to the rank of Brigadier General

— VDV, GMA Integrated News