Manila: The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) on Tuesday accused two Filipino vloggers of helping spread pro-China disinformation about the West Philippine Sea (WPS), calling the campaign 'coordinated and malicious.'

According to Philippines News Agency, during the House Tri-Committee hearing on online fake news, PCG spokesperson Commodore Jay Tarriela identified Anna Malindog Uy and Ado Paglinawan as content creators who allegedly amplify false narratives that support Beijing's stance and attack Philippine interests. Tarriela noted that Uy claimed the PCG was responsible for ramming a China Coast Guard vessel, while Paglinawan dismissed the WPS issue as 'lunacy' and criticized senators for their treatment of former Bamban, Tarlac mayor Alice Guo, who is linked to Chinese espionage.

Tarriela explained to the committee that the disinformation network operates through a structured three-layer system: initiators, disseminators, and reposters. Initiators, like Uy and Paglinawan, are the primary sources of false narratives, while anonymous troll accounts act as disseminators. Reposters are individuals who unknowingly or knowingly spread the content further.

The PCG official emphasized that the general public falls victim to this disinformation, often swayed into believing misleading narratives about the WPS. He highlighted six common false claims, including the notion that the Philippines lacks legal standing in the WPS and that the country is merely a pawn of the United States.

The committee, composed of the House Committees on Public Information, Public Order and Safety, and Information and Communications Technology, also heard Tarriela's claims linking Uy and Paglinawan to narratives supporting Chinese-linked Philippine offshore gaming operators (POGOs) and denying the presence of Chinese spies identified by the National Bureau of Investigation.