On Friday, InfinitUs Marketing Solutions Inc. firmly denied all allegations related to a contract with the Chinese Embassy for hiring trolls to advance pro-China propaganda. We stand by our integrity and categorically reject these unfounded claims.
In a statement, the public relations firm dismissed as “baseless accusations” the claims made by Senator Francis Tolentino during a Senate special committee hearing on maritime and admiralty zones, which focused on submersible drones and suspected Chinese espionage in the Philippines.
“We categorically deny having any agreement with the Chinese Embassy— or any foreign government— for troll operations, disinformation, or illicit digital activity,” the firm said.
The company stated that the service agreement shown by Tolentino was “unauthenticated, unsigned, and completely unfamiliar to our company.”
“It is, at best, a forgery crafted to fit a political narrative,” the company said.
While denying any service agreement with the Chinese Embassy, InfinitUs acknowledged that the check presented by Tolentino was “real but legal and justified.”
Earlier, Tolentino disclosed a Bank of China Manila Branch check dated September 2023, amounting to ₱930,000, allegedly as payment to InfinitUs under the supposed agreement with the Chinese Embassy.
“InfinitUs lawfully provides services to a range of clients, including diplomatic institutions. Payment for such services is standard and complies fully with Philippine banking, tax, anti-money-laundering, and corporate laws,” it said.
The PR firm raised concerns over the “unauthorized public exposure” of its financial records, calling it “alarming and legally questionable,” and suggesting it may violate banking secrecy laws, financial regulations, and data privacy laws.
InfinitUs said it is weighing possible legal action in response.
The firm also firmly denied being trolls, stating they do not and will never engage in such practices.
“We are professionals. Our firm does not, and will never, engage in trolling, online harassment, or deception,” InfinitUs said, adding that they operate on a foundation of transparent, ethical, and data-driven communications.
“The reckless labeling of our services as ‘troll activity’ is false, defamatory, and endangers our people and clients,” the firm said.
During the Senate hearing, Senator Tolentino cited alleged information from a report linked to InfinitUs, claiming it “boasted” about creating “hundreds of fake social media accounts” using fabricated identities.
These accounts reportedly posed as students, business professionals, and even members of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, according to the senator.
“So ibig sabihin po ‘yung lumalabas sa Facebook ay di totoong tao, ito po ay troll…kaya lang ang ating mga kababayan ay nalilinlang,” he said.
The marketing firm also allegedly claimed in their report that they had reached 50,000 real individuals through these troll accounts, stating that these people were “entangled in their web of deceit.”
“Hindi po ito normal public relations, hindi po ito normal PR campaign. Ang ginagawa po is to openly provide information and convey the policies of the Chinese government,” Tolentino said.
“The money that the Chinese Embassy paid was for something hidden and sinister. It was to finance a troll farm. Troll farm po ‘yun. A covert disinformation and influence operation against the Philippine government and the Filipino people,” he added.
