Tolentino to InfinitUs: Stop releasing PRs, face Senate probe

BATANGAS CITY, Batangas— Senate Majority Leader Francis Tolentino on Saturday called on InfinitUs Marketing Solutions to face the Senate investigation instead of releasing statements through their lawyer.

“We’ll be having a hearing on May 5.  Everything will be under oath. So kung ‘yong InfinitUs ay deny nang deny ngayon, wag sa media. Humarap kayo, umattend kayo sa hearing,” Tolentino said in a press conference of Alyansa Para sa Bagong Pilipinas. 

“Mag-subscribe kayo, doon niyo sabihin ang gusto niyong sabihin. Hindi po ‘yong press release nang press release ‘yong abodago nila. Humarap sila sa hearing sa Lunes. Mas maganda po ‘yong ganon,” he added. 

During a Senate hearing, Tolentino claimed that InfinitUs was the public relations firm that was allegedly contracted by the Chinese Embassy in Manila to hire "trolls" to advance pro-China narratives in the Philippines in 2023. 

Tolentino even revealed a check from Bank of China Manila Branch dated September 2023 which paid P930,000 to InfinitUs for the alleged service agreement with the Chinese Embassy. 

Documents from the Securities and Exchange Commission obtained by the Senate committee also showed that two Chinese nationals were named as incorporators of InfinitUs Marketing Solutions.

However, in a statement on Friday, InfinitUs denied that they were contracted by the Chinese Embassy in Manila, but admitted receiving payment from them. 

The PR firm also categorically denied engaging in "trolling."

that they are trolls and they will never engage in such activities. 

“We are professionals. Our firm does not, and will never, engage in trolling, online harassment, or deception,” InfinitUs said, adding that they operate on a foundation of transparent, ethical, and data-driven communications. 

“The reckless labeling of our services as ‘troll activity’ is false, defamatory, and endangers our people and clients,” it said. --VAL, GMA Integrated