Alyansa bets brush aside fears of China interference on PH elections
Alyansa Para Sa Bagong Pilipinas senatorial candidates. File photo.
MANILA, Philippines – With only three days left before the 2025 midterm elections, administration-backed Alyansa Para sa Bagong Pilipinas senatorial candidates dismissed fears that there would be irregularities amid the alleged interference of China in the upcoming polls.
In a press conference prior to the slate’s Miting de Avance on Friday, senatorial aspirants Tito Sotto, Ping Lacson, and Erwin Tulfo expressed their full trust to the Commission on Elections (Comeles).
Former Senate President Sotto said alleged foreign interference in Philippine elections should always be a concern, not only for the candidates but also for voters.
He, however, underscored that he has nothing to fear at present.
“At this point there is nothing I can see in the horizon that would have alarm, would be a red flag on me as far as the Comeles is concerned. So far so good. The chairman George Garcia is handling the situation very well so at this point,” said Sotto.
This was then echoed by Lacson and Tulfo who both emphasized that they have full trust on the leadership of Garcia.
Tulfo, in the end, said the future of the Philippines still lies on the hands of Filipino voters.
“Sa mga kababayan natin on Monday nasa kanilang mga kamay, sa kamay ho nating lahat kung anong klaseng Senado ang gusto natin. ‘Yon nga ‘yong singsabi natin na, choose wisely. ‘Yong mga kandidato ba na pipilin natin pro-China, anti-China. Do we want a Chinese controlled Senate? Or House of Representatives? Or we want a Senate na independent, who can stand against first world countries,” he said.
(To our countrymen, it’s in their hands what kind of Senate we want. That’s why they are saying: Choose wisely. Which candidates would be choose? Pro-China or anti China? Do we want a Chinese-controlled Senate? Or House of Representatives? Or we want a Senate that’s independent, who can stand against first world countries.)
Earlier, National Security Council Assistant Director General Jonathan Malaya dropped a bombshell at the Senate’s special panel on maritime and admiralty zones’ hearing, saying that China is dipping its toes in the Philippines’ midterm polls.
“There are indications that information operations are being conducted or that Chinese state-sponsored in the Philippines are actually interfering in the forthcoming elections,” said Malaya during the hearing.
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China, for its part, brushed off the reports, saying that it has no interest in interfering with Philippine elections. /jpv
