NBI to probe Chinese embassy’s alleged troll farm — Malaya
Assistant Director General Jonathan Malaya of the National Security Council. INQUIRER.net
MANILA, Philippines — The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) will probe China’s alleged troll farm in the Philippines seeking to influence the country’s political discourse.
National Security Council Assistant Director General Jonathan Malaya said the NBI has committed to doing the investigation. He said that in an ambush interview following the Senate’s special panel on maritime and admiralty zones’ Thursday hearing.
READ: Tolentino bares evidence China paying farm troll to discredit PH govt
“There is a local troll farm being used by China to influence political discourse in the Philippines. I am very sure that this has criminal implications, so it’s the NBI who should look at those things,” said Malaya in Filipino and English.
“That’s their mandate; they have to begin the case build-up immediately,” he added.
According to Malaya, the NBI should start its investigation with Infinitus Marketing Solutions, a Filipino-registered corporation based in Makati.
Troll farms
“What we have agreed upon ever since we started our investigation in terms of Chinese espionage in the Philippines is to go where the evidence will bring us. So it depends on what the investigation would show because we have seen the cheque, the company, the address. That’s where the NBI can begin their investigation,” he explained.
He likewise noted that the Commission on Elections (Comelec) may also check if this firm has violated one of its election regulations.
“Maybe the Comelec, in their regulations during elections, might see something that we can base on for us to be able to file charges against these people,” said Malaya.
“The NBI will start their own investigation, and we will check which case we could file, but definitely for the long run, us in the NSC we need the Foreign Interference and Malign Influence Act because this is the law being used by other countries to prosecute these types of activities,” he added.
Proof presented by Sen. Francis Tolentino during the hearing is an alleged service agreement between the Chinese embassy in Manila and Infinitus.
According to Tolentino, Infinitus’ job is to hire “keyboard warriors” or create a troll farm meant to discredit the Philippine government as well as certain personalities in the country.
