PR firm tied to alleged China troll ops may face treason – Tolentino

Sen. Francis Tolentino and InfinitUs cofounder and CEO Paul Li —Photos by Niño Jesus Orbeta

MANILA, Philippines — The Filipino executives of a company allegedly behind a China-funded social media campaign against President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and other public officials may be held liable for treason, Sen. Francis Tolentino said on Monday, as he showed more evidence allegedly linking the Chinese Embassy in Manila to the operations of a “troll army.”

At the continuation of the hearing of the Senate committee on Philippine maritime and admiralty zones, Tolentino said that InfinitUs Marketing Solutions Inc. was just one of several firms that deployed “keyboard warriors” to spread disinformation and misinformation on various social media platforms that benefited China.

However, InfinitUs cofounder and CEO Paul Li quickly dismissed the allegations linking him and his colleagues to a well-financed operation to propagate pro-China narratives on the West Philippine Sea and to interfere with the May 12 midterm elections.

READ: PR firm denies contract with China, being trolls

He said they were just contracted by the Chinese Embassy to provide public relations (PR) and events management services.

“I categorically deny the allegation that InfinitUs is engaged in unlawful activities, including the spread of disinformation and misinformation to influence the coming elections,” Li said during the three-hour Senate hearing.

“I’m just a regular businessman and not connected to politics in any way,” he said. “We are the PR company for the Chinese Embassy.”

Possible violations

Presiding over the proceedings, Tolentino presented documents showing that InfinitUs had regularly submitted monthly reports of its activities to Beijing’s diplomatic post, an offense he claimed may be regarded as treason under the Revised Penal Code.

He added that Li and the other foreign officials of the company should be charged with espionage and other appropriate criminal cases.

“[They are] collaborating with a foreign government to put down our system [of government],” Tolentino told reporters.

“It is the highest form of betrayal toward the flag … Even though it’s in the digital space, it undermines the sovereignty of our country, our institutions, as well as the society itself,” he said.

Records from the Securities and Exchange Commission named Myka Isabel Basco, Ruby Benig Gestiada and Li’s wife, Christine Bergantinos Li, as the Filipino incorporators of the company.

A Chinese national, Min Li, was also listed as an incorporator.

Payment trail

To support his allegations, Tolentino confronted Li with a copy of a check for P930,000 that the Chinese Embassy had reportedly issued to InfinitUs on Sept. 11, 2023.

According to him, the check was payment for the company’s services, which supposedly included attacking the President and other government officials who criticized China’s illegal activities in the West Philippine Sea.

He also showed another document, which was written in Chinese, that purportedly required InfinitUs to “conduct public opinion guidance on social media.”

Another document mentioned that among the specific tasks that InfinitUs was paid to provide to the Chinese Embassy was to “help change the overall negative perception of Filipinos about the Chinese [people] and China.”

The company was also supposed to help “educate the Filipinos that [the] Chinese culture is so much ingrained in our own culture that without it, we will not have the Filipino identity.”

Consultancy fee

Asked to comment, Li confirmed that the check was “real” but claimed that it was actually for hosting an event that the Chinese Embassy held on June 9, 2023.

Tolentino said a copy of a “sales order” amounting to P930,000 that InfinitUs had submitted to his panel actually showed that the company was asking for additional funds for the purchase of face masks, face shields, and test kits for COVID-19 that would be used for the event.

But the request, he pointed out, was made three months after the event and at a time when the use of face masks and other protective equipment was no longer mandatory.

“It is either you are trying to confuse this committee or you are lying outright,” Tolentino told Li in a raised voice.

“You claim that this is just part of a professional consulting [services], but I do not see any ‘professional consulting’ here. I’ve seen some violations [of the law],” he added.