Senate Majority Leader Francis “Tol” Tolentino on Tuesday said the ongoing Senate inquiry into foreign interference and espionage, particularly in connection with the upcoming midterm elections, could eventually result in the expulsion of Chinese diplomats from the Philippines.

Tolentino, who chairs the Senate Committee on Admiralty and Maritime Zones, is leading the investigation into alleged foreign meddling in the country’s internal affairs, including the discovery of links between the Chinese Embassy and a Makati-based advertising firm accused of running pro-Beijing campaigns online.

“I look forward to seeing the day when we will be expelling some Chinese diplomats because of this incident,” the reelectionist senator said in a media interview.

Citing international precedents, Tolentino pointed to Canada’s 2023 decision to expel high-ranking Chinese diplomats after intelligence reports revealed attempts by Beijing to influence the country’s 2019 and 2021 federal elections.

“There’s a similar instance where China meddled with the elections in Canada, which produced a 194-page report coming from the Parliament. That was during the 2019 and 2021 elections,” the senator explained.

“These are classified documents coming from the Canadian intelligence service, it would show that [China] funded [the electoral bids] of several candidates, and it led to the expulsion of several Chinese diplomatic officers based in Canada because of this spying activity and meddling with the elections,” he added.

Tolentino emphasized that such interference is not unique to the Philippines.

“So hindi lang po ito sa atin. Nangyari sa Canada, sa Australia, at New Zealand. These are advanced countries with advanced counterintelligence equipment,” he noted.

The senator has previously disclosed what he claimed was a service contract between the Chinese Embassy and InfinitUs Marketing Solutions, a Makati-based advertising firm allegedly engaged to promote pro-China narratives online amid tensions in the West Philippine Sea. He also revealed a check amounting to nearly P1 million, which he said was the initial payment to the firm.

Despite the gravity of the allegations, Tolentino noted that the Chinese side has yet to issue a direct rebuttal.

“What has been issued so far is a blanket statement from China’s foreign ministry. But no one has come out to claim that the documents I showed are fake,” he said.

“Ang tanong, mayroon ba kayong troll farm? Sinagot ba? Hindi. Sa inyo ba ‘yung submersible drones? Sinagot ba? Hindi,” he asked.

“Ang sagot lang nila: ‘Hindi namin maintindihan kung ano yung sinasabi ng isang senador na ginugulo lang ang ating relasyon…dahil nalalapit na ang eleksyon.’”

Tolentino asserted that the evidence presented points to a long-standing operation. “We are not just building a case; we are proving a case that has been ongoing for the last several years… despite China’s claims of neighborliness and friendliness,” he said.

He concluded by urging the Department of Foreign Affairs to summon Chinese Ambassador Huang Xilian to formally address the allegations.

“Let’s have some self-respect. How can other countries respect us if we do not respect ourselves?” Tolentino said.