A House leader on Monday, March 3, warned the public against "pro-China candidates" as they could pose threats to national security should they win in the upcoming elections.

La Union 1st district Rep. Paolo Ortega urged Filipinos to remain vigilant in the upcoming polls, as he noted that China’s recent claim over Palawan--combined with evidence that Beijing was funding certain candidates---posed a direct threat to the country.

“Sinimulan ng China sa West Philippine Sea. Ngayon, mismong Palawan na ang sinasabi nilang kanila. Isipin natin — kung may mga kandidatong may pondo mula sa China, anong interes ang kanilang poprotektahan? ‘Yung bayan natin o ‘yung nagpondo sa kanila? (They started with the West Philippine Sea. Now, they are already claiming even Palawan. Let's think of this—if there are candidates who get their funds from China, whose interests will they then protect? Our nation or the one who funds them)?" Ortega asked.

"Dati, sinasabi nilang kanila ang Scarborough Shoal. Maya-maya, nagtayo sila ng base sa West Philippine Sea. Ngayon, Palawan naman ang tina-target nila. At kung hindi tayo magiging mapanuri, baka magising na lang tayo isang araw, may Chinese structures na diyan (Before, they were saying that the Scarborough Shoal is theirs. Then, gradually, the built bases on the West Philippine Sea. And now, they're targeting Palawan. If we don't become critical about the candidates we vote for, we may wake up to Chinese structures everywhere)," he further said.

Ortega warned that China’s assertion over Palawan was part of a broader strategy to expand its influence—not just through military force but through political and economic leverage.

If China, over the past decade, built military outposts in the West Philippine Sea, now it appears to be shifting its tactics by backing candidates who would advance its interests from within the Philippine government, he said.

"Ang tanong natin ngayon: paano nila nagagawang palakasin ang impluwensya nila sa bansa natin? Hindi lang sa pamamagitan ng mga barko sa dagat—kundi sa pamamagitan ng eleksyon. Hindi na baril ang gamit, kundi pera, propaganda, at panlilinlang (The question now is how are they able to boost their influence in our country? It's not only about ships at sea, but also using the elections. They no longer use arms and guns, but money, propaganda, and deception)," said.

He says there are investigations into China's influence operations that reveal that Beijing is actively working to shape public opinion through disinformation campaigns.

He added that digital analysts have tracked coordinated efforts by Chinese-linked groups to manipulate social media discussions, discredit anti-China officials, and amplify content that favors Beijing. These tactics aim to sway voter sentiment, making it easier for pro-China candidates to secure government positions, he said.

"Dapat nating tandaan—hindi lang sa eleksyon nangyayari ito. Sa social media pa lang, binabaha na tayo ng pekeng balita, ng mapanlinlang na kwento para papaniwalain tayo na mabuting kaibigan ang China. Pero tanungin natin: kaibigan ba ang pumapasok sa ating teritoryo nang walang pahintulot? (Let's remember that this doesn't only happen during the election. On social media, we're already being flooded with fake news and deceptive stories that make us believe that China is a friend. But let me ask you this: do you consider a country a friend if it encroaches on our sovereignty without our permission?)," Ortega asked.