Robredo alarmed by China links of busted pro-Duterte Facebook network

Vice President Leni Robredo voiced alarm over the supposed links with China by one of the networks of groups, pages, and accounts taken down by Facebook last week due to “coordinated inauthentic behavior.”

During her weekly radio program with co-host Ely Saludar on Sunday, September 27, Robredo said the public should be wary of the Chinese-based network’s operations.

Independent social analytics firm Graphika, which worked with Facebook, said the taken-down network – consisting of 155 accounts, 11 pages, 9 groups, and 6 Instagram accounts – posted content that mostly “praised President Rodrigo Duterte and his family allies, notably his daughter, and the daughter of former president Ferdinand Marcos, Senator Imee Marcos.”

The fake accounts in this network also used stolen profile pictures as well as images generated by artificial intelligence to pose as real persons online.

This network also targeted perceived critics of the Duterte administration, like opposition senators, social news network Rappler and its CEO Maria Ressa, and shuttered broadcast giant ABS-CBN. Graphika also found a “significant minority” of posts which praised China.

“Anong ginagawa ng China sa domestic affairs natin? Ito, kailangan tayo dito matakot. Kasi bakit? Ano ang interes ninyo sa eleksyon?” said opposition leader Robredo. “So ito, tingin ko, Ka Ely, nakakatakot ito kasi may kinalaman ito sa soberanya natin.”

(What is China doing in our domestic affairs? We should be alarmed by this. Why? What’s your interest in our elections? This is what I think is scary, Ely, because it relates to our sovereignty.)

Robredo reiterated that “fake news” or false information in whatever form is bad and harmful. “Pero lalo siyang sumasama dahil niluluto siya, niluluto siya, sa ibang bansa (But it gets more harmful because it’s being concocted abroad),” she added. 

Robredo pointed out that she has been a frequent subject of false claims online. She then said she is open to being criticized, as long as it is based on facts.

Besides the Chinese network, a Philippine-based network linked to the Philippine military was also taken down. This network was reportedly operated by at least 3 Army soldiers.

The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and the Philippine National Police (PNP) denied that they have a hand in the management of this network.

Robredo said she is counting on the AFP’s statement that they will look into this matter. – Rappler.com