By Benjamin Cuaresma
MANILA, Philippines — Foreign malign influence operations targeting the Philippines are increasingly moving beyond overt geopolitical messaging and into divisive domestic issues, using Tagalog and more informal, “street-level” language to make their narratives harder to identify, an Armed Forces of the Philippines official said Tuesday.
Reservist Rear Adm. Roy Vincent Trinidad, the AFP spokesperson on West Philippine Sea issues, said the shift became apparent during the first quarter of the year as narratives surrounding the maritime dispute began intersecting with contentious domestic developments.
Trinidad said foreign influence messaging previously appeared more readily identifiable, including narratives perceived as “pro-Davao” in discussions involving the West Philippine Sea.
But the approach has since evolved toward involvement in local controversies, he said.
Among the domestic issues being monitored by the AFP for possible foreign malign influence are the impeachment proceedings involving Vice President Sara Duterte, the flood control scandal, and criticisms directed at President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and Defense Secretary Gilbert Teodoro Jr.
“It is now more difficult to detect [foreign influence] because it is already mixing with local issues,” Trinidad said during a press briefing.
He also pointed to a notable change in the language used in such messaging, saying Tagalog has become more prevalent compared with the predominantly English-language content observed previously.
“Attacks on the SND (Secretary of National Defense), attacks on [Rear Adm.] Jay Tarriela are now in Tagalog,” Trinidad said, referring to the Philippine Coast Guard spokesperson on West Philippine Sea issues.
Trinidad cited the May 15 raid on the Chinese-run Philippine Sanjia Steel Corp. in Misamis Oriental as one local controversy that he said had been exploited by foreign propaganda.
The raid at an economic zone resulted in the arrest of 69 Chinese nationals and the discovery of radioactive materials inside the Sanjia facility. The Chinese Embassy subsequently filed a diplomatic protest over the arrests.
The AFP official also cited what he described as differences in the messaging styles of Chinese Embassy officials.
“When it’s the deputy spokesperson of the Chinese Embassy, they use Tagalog and street-level [phrasing]. When it’s the spokesman of the Chinese Embassy, his tone is diplomatic,” Trinidad said.
According to Trinidad, the use of more informal language and locally familiar expressions could make foreign-linked content appear more acceptable to Filipino audiences while making its origin more difficult to detect.
“Definitely, this is part of their approach. They are adjusting to make it more acceptable to our fellow countrymen, so they can conceal it better,” he said.
The AFP has urged Filipinos to exercise greater caution when encountering politically charged material online, particularly before engaging with or sharing content.
“Before ‘liking,’ before forwarding, before clicking, make sure carefully if what you are reading is true,” Trinidad said.
ia/xf
