12-9-2023 (MANILA) The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) has raised concerns that the Chinese government might be behind a disinformation campaign aimed at downplaying the aggression of Chinese vessels in the West Philippine Sea (WPS). PCG spokesperson Jay Tarriela made these remarks during a Senate joint inquiry, suggesting that the “information operation” observed by the PCG regarding the WPS “will not be happening unless it’s supported by a state actor.”
Tarriela’s statement came in response to a question by Sen. Risa Hontiveros, who inquired if the PCG, based on its intelligence operations, had uncovered evidence linking those spreading disinformation to a Chinese state-sponsored campaign.
Tarriela explained that the PCG had only obtained information from journalists who alerted them to potential disinformation campaigns in the WPS through the emails they received. He stated, “The only information that we have received is through (our) media friends, wherein those journalists we know… receive emails trying to divert the attention of Filipinos. Instead of concentrating on the aggressive actions of China, they are diverting it to Vietnam.”
In August, Tarriela warned Filipinos against online sources of disinformation regarding the WPS, describing them as “mouthpieces of the Chinese government” and expressing concerns that they were causing confusion among Filipinos about the situation in the area.
He also strongly criticized those who made excuses for China’s aggressive behavior in the region, labeling them as “unpatriotic” and “traitors” to the country.
During the Senate joint inquiry, Sen. Hontiveros emphasized that the annual P10 million intelligence funds allocated to the PCG since 2009 were insufficient given the PCG’s role in defending the country against a much larger nation.
Hontiveros pointed out that a significant portion of the PCG’s intelligence work relies on human intelligence (humint). However, given the magnitude of the Coast Guard’s responsibilities in maritime governance, she argued that it was necessary to supplement humint with signals intelligence (sigint).
She questioned why the PCG, despite its role in national security, received fewer confidential and intelligence funds compared to civilian agencies with different mandates. Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri recently pledged to increase the confidential and intelligence funds for the PCG and the Philippine Navy to provide them with “full logistical and operational support” in dealing with maritime aggression.
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