China meddling in 2022 polls feared

There is a big possibility that China will meddle in the 2022 presidential election to retain its influence in the Philippines and to ensure that it will not be made liable for its illegal intrusion into the West Philippine Sea (WPS), according to progressive members of Congress.

ACT Partylist Rep. France Castro and Bayan Muna Partylist Rep. Carlos Zarate warned that there are signs that China will meddle in the next presidential election, starting with its Facebook account based in Fujian, China which is allegedly supporting the presidential bid of President Rodrigo Duterte’s daughter, Davao City Rep. Sara Duterte.

The said account is among the 100 accounts recently removed by Facebook and the supposed fake account of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and Philippine National Police (PNP).

“Pinatunayan na dun sa ibinulgar ng Facebook na sangkot ang China mismo. May mga account, may network na nagmula sa China na ire-raise up ang kandidatura ng anak ng Presidente sa susunod na eleksiyon,” said Castro in a virtual press conference.

“Talagang may nakikita tayong indication eh na maaaring makialam ang China sa election. Makikita natin sa mga tinek-down na account. Malaki ang posibilidad na makikialam ang China sa susunod na eleksiyon,” Castro added.

Zarate said he would not be surprised if China would meddle in the 2022 presidential election because it has vested interests in the Philippines, particularly the WPS which it is claiming.

In line with this, Zarate dared social media regulators in the Philippines and Facebook to be pro-active against such accounts and networks so that the 2022 polls will not be influenced by anybody nor any country, especially China.

“Kasi this will undermine the democratic processes na mayroon ang isang kandidato na halal ng bayan na na-elect pala dahil hindi ito ang kagustuhan ng bayan kundi dahil ang mamamayan ay na-mislead. Naloko sila dahil sa kanilang nabasa sa social media platforms,” Zarate explained.

Meanwhile, Bayan Muna Partylist Rep. Ferdinand Gaite insisted that the National Bureau of Investigation or Office of the Ombudsman should investigate the fake accounts of AFP and PNP.

Gaite believes that nothing will come out if AFP and PNP will investigate the fake Facebook accounts.