Malacañang has expressed alarm over reports of possible Chinese interference in the upcoming 2025 midterm elections.

But China’s Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Guo Jiakun denied this by saying that it has no interest in interfering with the Philippines' upcoming midterm elections.

"China follows the principle of non-interference in other countries’ domestic affairs. We have no interest in interfering in Philippine elections," Guo stressed.

Communications Undersecretary Claire Castro said this after the National Security Council (NSC) disclosed that it has observed indicators of foreign meddling, prompting a call for a deeper investigation.

While the NSC has yet to publicly release specific evidence or indicators, the Palace Press Officer said the administration is treating the matter seriously.

"Ito po ay talagang nakakaalarma at paiigtingin pa po natin ang—sa utos na rin po ng ating administrasyon na imbestigahan nang malalim para malaman po natin kung anuman ang katotohanan patungkol po dito (This is truly alarming, and we will intensify—upon the order of the administration—a deeper investigation to determine the truth behind this)," she said.

According to Castro, the Palace has yet to receive additional information beyond what was initially shared by the NSC.

"Sa ngayon po, ang sinabi po sa atin ay pag-iimbestigahan pa po muna para malaman natin kung ano pa po ang mga detalye dito at kung ano po ang napapaloob sa mga ganitong klaseng pangyayari (As of now, we’ve been told that the matter will first be investigated to uncover more details and understand what is involved in incidents like this)," she said.

She added that further details may come after consultations with the NSC.

"Ang iba pa pong mga detalye ay maaari po nating matanong or aming kakausapin muli ang National Security Council (The other details may be clarified, or we may speak again with the NSC)," she said.

Castro also said that President Marcos, who flew to the Vatican with First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos for Pope Francis' funeral, was already informed of the development.

No timeline has been announced for the completion of the investigation.

NSC Assistant Director General Jonathan Malaya disclosed that there are indications of alleged Chinese state-sponsored information operations in the country.

According to Malaya, there are indicators of ongoing operations of China to support candidates that they want to win.

He bared that they are seeing many narratives coming out from Beijing that are being amplified by third-party individuals or their proxies based here in the Philippines.

The NSC has also identified certain candidates allegedly being targeted in disinformation campaigns.

Treason

Cagayan de Oro City 2nd district Rep. Rufus Rodriguez said the Department of Justice (DOJ) should go after the officers and members of the board of directors of the Makati City firm allegedly contracted by China to promote its skewed narrative on the West Philippine Sea (WPS).

Senator Francis Tolentino, chairman of the Senate Special Maritime Committee, revealed in a public hearing on Thursday that Infinitus Marketing Solutions had been engaged by China for “keyboard warriors” that would put Beijing in good light amid the Philippines-China dispute on the WPS.

“The DOJ and the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) should file charges for treason and other violations of the Revised Penal Code (RPC) and the National Security Act against officers and directors of Infinitus Marketing Solutions,” Rodriguez said.

He said Chinese Embassy officers who contracted Infinitus should also be charged as “principals by direct participation."

More Chinese vessels detected 

The Philippine Navy (PN) said that the Chinese aircraft carrier detected within the country’s archipelagic waters was accompanied by eight other vessels arranged in “unusual formations” as the Balikatan Exercises between the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and United States Indo-Pacific Command (Indopacom) continue.

Aircraft carrier Shandong (CV-17) was escorted by six People’s Liberation Army-Navy (PLA-N) destroyers and frigates, and two support vessels. One of the support vessels was identified as an electronic surveillance ship with tail number AGI-797.

“This was one of the larger or unusual formations we have monitored,” said Rear Adm. Roy Vincent Trinidad, PN spokesperson for West Philippine Sea (WPS).

The Chinese vessels were first detected roughly a hundred nautical miles northwest of Burgos, Ilocos Norte on April 22. On the night of April 23, they came within the bounds of the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone (EEZ) on the western part of Cagayan.

Trinidad said the PN challenged the Chinese warships through radio communication by its land-based monitoring systems but “we didn’t get any reply.”

“While the normal procedure is for warships or foreign ships to reply, there are some instances na hindi sumasagot ang mga ito (that they do not answer). This is one particular instance that the Shandong carrier battle group did not give any reply,” he noted.

“The Naval Forces Northern Luzon wanted to deploy larger warships but they were committed to Balikatan,” he admitted, although stressing that the PN does not give any meaning to the deployment, whether or not it was connected to the Balikatan drills.

The Chinese ships were usually operating out of the PLA’s South Sea Fleet so the PN did not notice where they came from. 

Balikatan

As this developed, naval forces from the AFP and US Indopacom started on Thursday a multilateral maritime event (MME), a crucial component of the ongoing Balikatan Exercises.

The activity, which will take place until April 29, “focuses on enhancing the interoperability and coordination between the allied nations within the Philippines' archipelagic waters, spanning from the vicinity of Subic Bay up to the Northern Luzon Joint Operational Area,” the AFP said.

Filipino and American troops also conducted simultaneous cyber defense exercises (CYDEX) across various AFP units.

The CYDEX was observed by representatives from the Colombian Armed Forces, Canadian Armed Forces, Japan Air Self-Defense Force, the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG), and the AFP Cyber Command’s Cybersecurity Incident Response Team.

“This exercise is a key component of this year’s Balikatan, designed to strengthen mutual cyber defense capabilities and enhance interoperability in responding to evolving digital challenges. CYDEX brought together personnel from both nations to simulate real-world scenarios, share best practices, and develop coordinated response strategies to defend critical information infrastructure,” the AFP said. (With reports from Betheena Unite, Ellson Quismorio and Martin Sadongdong)