News Roundup 19 January 2024
Jan 19, 2024 • 4 min Read
Influence ops target journalists, expert as China vessels patrol West Philippine Sea | PHILSTAR.COM – MANILA, Philippines — Filipino reporters and a known maritime expert received a barrage of messages from unidentifiable sources in 2023 that attempted to divert public attention away from Chinese vessels’ actions in the West Philippine Sea to Vietnam’s supposed “militarization” there.
Around seven messages were sent to four Filipino journalists covering different beats and Jay Batongbacal, the director of the University of the Philippines – Institute for Maritime Affairs and Law of the Sea, all encouraging them to report or comment on Vietnam’s alleged plans to build defense infrastructure on Spratlys Island based on supposed leaked documents.
These emails and text messages — most of which were sent within days and weeks of each other from July to August — have some of the markings of an influence operation that Philstar.com is tracking across all social media platforms, groups and spaces on the internet.
According to screengrabs of the messages that Batongbacal and the four reporters, including two foreign correspondents, shared with Philstar.com, all the senders’ names cannot be verified online and there are no traces of the affiliations some of them claim to have.
These messages offered to provide the reporters and Batongbacal with insider information on Vietnam’s construction plans on Spratlys Island. The individuals behind these messages identified themselves as either concerned Filipinos, employees of the Vietnamese construction company involved in the alleged militarization, or experts willing to help write an article against Vietnam.
Some senders were also persistent in following up with the reporters, aiming to incite anger or fear about a perceived Vietnamese threat to Philippine sovereignty while downplaying China’s actions in the region.
Full Story at: Influence ops target journalists, expert as China vessels patrol West Philippine Sea | Philstar.com
Comelec may pause voter registration to verify signatures in People’s Initiative | PHILSTAR.COM – MANILA, Philippines — The Commission on Elections may have to temporarily pause its voter registration for the 2025 midterm elections to allow its election officers to sift through the signatures collected in the People’s Initiative seeking to change the Charter.
Comelec spokesperson John Rex Laudiangco said that the poll body has yet to begin its verification process of the ongoing People’s Initiative signature drive to change the 1987 Constitution as the signature pages need to be submitted and certified first.
But if the People’s Initiative campaign “pushes through,” the poll body could pause its voter registration to give way to the verification of signatures as there is only one election officer per municipality and city, Laudiangco said in an interview with Teleradyo Serbisyo on Friday.
Laudiangco said that about 630 municipalities and cities nationwide have already submitted their signature pages supporting Charter change. “Our election officers in nearly all segments have received signature pages. This is spread out across the country,” Laudiangco said in Filipino.
But the Comelec officer explained that there are still several steps before the poll body can start verifying the signatures.
Full Story at: Comelec may pause voter registration to verify signatures in People’s Initiative | Philstar.com
Northern Samar town mayor suspended for abuse of authority | INQUIRER.NET – TACLOBAN CITY — The Office of Ombudsman in the Visayas has slapped a six-month suspension without pay against the mayor of Allen town in Northern Samar for grave abuse of authority and oppression.
Mayor Jose Arturo Suan, who is in his second term, officially received the suspension order from the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG)-Northern Samar on Friday, Jan. 12.
The suspended mayor has tendered his leave of absence a day before the suspension order was served on him.
Suan could not be reached for comment.
The DILG provincial office has named Vice Mayor Christian Lao as the acting mayor while the suspension of Suan is in effect.
Full Story at: Northern Samar town mayor suspended for abuse of authority | Inquirer News
Northern Samar introduces perks to attract more investors | INQUIRER.NET – TACLOBAN CITY — The provincial government of Northern Samar has introduced what it called a “strategic development blueprint” to attract more investors to the second-class province.
The move covers various economic sectors ranging from agriculture and fishery to tourist-related establishments like hotels and resorts and sports and recreational investments.
“This forward-looking initiative aims at long-term sustainability and productivity, aligning with the province’s commitment to responsible development,” a statement released by the provincial information office read.
“With this, Northern Samar is not just inviting businesses (but) is opening its arms to pioneers, innovators, and those ready to be part of a renaissance that will redefine the economic narrative of this growing province,” it added.
Full Story at: Northern Samar introduces perks to attract more investors | Inquirer News
