Group raises alarm over alleged China-linked fake news peddlers online

A group raised alarm over questionable contents it monitored online against the Philippines and President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., particularly on the issues surrounding the West Philippines Sea.

In Mariz Umali’s Wednesday report on “24 Oras,” PressOne.PH revealed that it has been monitoring an alleged network of social media accounts spreading questionable content during the House Tri Committee.

Nikko Balbedina, multimedia editor of PressOne.PH, said the tweets of these social media accounts are saying that the Philippines is a puppet of the United States.

“Pinagbibintangan nila na funded daw po yun ng US at nangingialam daw ang Amerika sa ginagawa ng Pilipinas sa West Philippine Sea. This is to sow a narrative na mali ang Pilipinas sa usaping West Philippine Sea. Hindi tayo dapat nandoon,” Balbedina said.

(They are accusing the US of funding the Philippines and interfering with the issues surrounding the West Philippine Sea. This is to sow a narrative that the Philippines is wrong on the matter of the West Philippine Sea... that we're not supposed to be there.)

Balbedina pointed out that although this is one of the issues that the alleged social media network is repeatedly posting, it is still affects the upcoming 2025 midterm polls.

“This is very alarming, especially nangyari to at nakita natin to, ahead of a very crucial election. And a lot of the information that they use pag pumasok na sila sa polling precinct, they get from social media. Kasi kung hindi informed or misinformed or disinformed ang ating electorate, hindi tayo makakapagbigay ng 100% na tiwala sa election natin,” Balbedina said.

(This is very alarming, especially since the public sees these posts ahead of a very crucial election. And a lot of the information they use when entering a polling precinct is from social media. If our electorate is misinformed or disinformed, we cannot give 100% trust to our election.)

Based on PressOne.PH’s database, at least 107 accounts have the same posts released at the same time, and 25 of these accounts have Chinese names.

“These accounts are trying to appear as if legitimate sila na mga tao. So, hindi po natin ma-identify kung sino yung nagpapatakbo nitong mga ito. Pero yun nga, what we can say is they understand Chinese,” Balbedina said.

(These accounts are trying to appear to be owned by a legitimate person. So, we cannot identify who runs these accounts, but what we can say is they understand Chinese.)

The Commission on Elections (Comelec) said it is aware of the alleged network of social media accounts.

“Maaari talagang magamit sa kandidatura or against sa kandidatura ng ilang kandidato natin.Kayang kayang gawan ng paraan, lituhin ang kababayan natin lalo pa’t nagbabalita ng hindi totoo. So ipapa take down po natin yan kung kinakailangan sa mga platform. Dyan natin masusubukan ang commitment ng mga platform natin sa kanilang seriousness na tulungan ang Comelec sa kampanya kontra sa fake news, misinformation and disinformation,” Comelec chairperson George Garcia said.

(The posts can be used for the benefit or against the candidates. It can deceive our countrymen, especially with the disinformation these posts are spreading. We will take down these platforms. This will test the commitment of our platforms in helping Comelec with our campaign against fake news, misinformation, and disinformation.)

The Cybercrime Investigation and Coordinating Center (CICC) said it is important to educate the public on the significance of verifying contents online since there is a tool that can be used.

The CICC showed their app to GMA Integrated News, where it can determine if a video is fake or not in just 30 seconds.

“So instead of continuously being deceived by the content, meron na sila na increase natin yung discernment capability nila. Ay, gawa-gawa lang pala ito, hindi totoo. Then, they can vote properly. They can vote wisely,” CICC executive director Alexander Ramos said.

(So instead of continuously being deceived by the content, we have increased their discernment capability of fake online content. Then, they can vote properly. They can vote wisely.) — Mariel Celine Serquiña/BAP, GMA Integrated News

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