Philippine Coast Guard spokesperson Commodore Jay Tarriela has recently raised concerns about the spread of pro-China narratives among certain groups in the Philippines, leaving some speculating that his message was directed at former President Rodrigo Duterte and his allies.
In an Oct. 30 post on the X platform, formerly known as Twitter, Tarriela cited at least three examples of pro-China narratives that have gained traction within these groups, without specifying their identities.
The first narrative centered around the claim that speaking out against China’s aggression in the West Philippine Sea would lead to war.
Tarriela countered this argument by emphasizing that exposing China’s aggression is a means of safeguarding the Philippines from political manipulation and disinformation.
“By keeping our political leaders and countrymen aware of China’s violations of international law, we are safeguarding our country from political manipulation and disinformation. Also, by calling out China’s bad behavior at sea, we highlight which party is really responsible for raising tensions and increasing the likelihood of a kinetic conflict,” he said.
The second narrative alleged that transparency efforts in the Philippines were influenced solely by the United States. Tarriela dismissed this notion, asserting that the Philippines’ commitment to transparency was driven by its national interest in protecting maritime rights.
“The Philippine Coast Guard and other government agencies are utilizing their own resources to document and monitor Beijing’s aggression in the West Philippine Sea. For instance, the PCG has chosen to embed Filipino news journalists to ensure accurate and unbiased reporting of the events they witness. The PCG does not have editorial control over what these journalists report. Our dedication to transparency is independent of any external influence, and we prioritize the dissemination of factual information to the public,” he added.
The third narrative accused individuals critical of China’s actions of being anti-Filipino and pro-US. Tarriela refuted this characterization, asserting that experts and government officials critical of China’s actions based their arguments on international law, such as the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea and the Philippine Constitution.
“Their arguments are rooted in international law, such as the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea, and the Philippine Constitution. These individuals take principled positions based on defending our national interests. Instead of offering solutions that prioritize Philippine national interests, they resort to labeling patriotic Filipinos as pro-US in an attempt to discredit them. This aligns with China’s narrative that the South China Sea is solely a US-China issue, disregarding the agency of claimant states and the importance of defending our maritime rights based on international law.”
While Tarriela did not explicitly identify the groups spreading these narratives, he hinted that they claimed to be pro-Filipino but promoted Chinese narratives and discredited factual reports from Philippine authorities.
“Ironically, these individuals claim to be pro-Filipino while promoting Chinese narratives and even contradicting factual reports from Philippine authorities. Their intention is to manipulate public opinion and divert attention from the issue of Chinese aggression. Their strategy revolves around discrediting both the message and the messenger,” he added.
These remarks led to speculation among netizens, with some suggesting that Tarriela might be referring to former President Rodrigo Duterte, his allies, and pro-Duterte influencers.
Critics and supporters engaged in online debates, with some characterizing Tarriela as “Amboy” (pro-American) and claiming that the Coast Guard official was attempting to deceive the public.
Others pointed out that the pro-China sentiment was prevalent among pro-Duterte individuals.
However, a critic, @AniR113, who appears to be pro-Duterte, called Tarriela “Amboy” (pro-American), claiming that the PCG official is attempting to deceive the public.
They stated, “So why are you Amboys in @coastguardph citing China only? Vietnam is more aggressive and has more occupied territories than the rest of the claimants in SCS. Why are you also silent on the military station of Malaysia, which has been there since 1984?”
A verified X user named William John G. Balderama didn’t mince words as he quickly commented that Tarriela must be referring to the Duterte camp.
Balderama said, “As I read your narratives, I wonder where you would put this in the explanatory notes—those whom we tag as pro-China are largely pro-Duterte. They follow what the former president says, a big China fan, and with equal fervor, whatever his daughter Sara favors.”
A netizen also posted a list of pro-China Duterte supporters, saying, “Here is the list! Time to have them investigated. Top on the list is already in Beijing, China!”
The names on the list include former Marcos spokesperson Trixie Cruz-Angeles, Mark Anthony Lopez, Lorraine Badoy Partosa, Jay Sonza, Pebbles Cunana, Ferdinand Topacio, Sass Rolando Sasot, among others. However, the poster did not provide any evidence to support the claim that the pro-Duterte individuals on the list parrot China’s propaganda.
“Call out the former president and his daughter,” another netizen chimed in, referring to Rodrigo Duterte and his daughter Sara. “At least now you know who the traitors of our country are,” another netizen posted.
The Daily Netizen 