By Erika Mae P. Sinaking, Reporter

Allegations that China-linked funds reached entities associated with Philippine Vice-President Sara Duterte-Carpio and her husband could amount to a national security concern if evidence establishes that the money was intended to influence Philippine policy, analysts said.

“Philippine officials must serve Philippine interests,” Gary G. Ador Dionisio, dean of the School of Diplomacy and Governance at De La Salle-College of St. Benilde, told BusinessWorld in a Facebook Messenger chat. “Foreign influence does not always arrive through warships. Sometimes it comes through money, political networks, economic relationships, disinformation and elite capture,” he added.

The allegations

Former Senator Antonio F. Trillanes IV has alleged that entities associated with Ms. Duterte and her husband, Manases R. Carpio, received more than P469 million in China-linked funds. Her camp has rejected the claims as malicious propaganda.

At a news conference last week, Mr. Trillanes presented documents that purportedly showed the Chinese Embassy donated P150 million in 2019 to Tapang at Malasakit Alliance for the Philippines, Inc., a foundation where Ms. Duterte serves as an incorporator and trustee. He also alleged that P319 million from the Chinese government and China-based corporations flowed into Cale88 Foods., in which Mr. Carpio held a stake from 2021 to 2024.

Mr. Trillanes said the transactions warranted scrutiny because of their potential implications for national security and foreign policy. The allegations have not been independently established.

The Chinese Embassy in Manila did not immediately reply to a Viber message seeking comment.

National security implications

President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr., meanwhile, has called for continuity in Philippine policy toward the West Philippine Sea, expressing concern that a future administration could weaken the gains secured by the 2016 arbitral ruling — the decision that rejected the legal basis of China's sweeping South China Sea claims in a case brought by the Philippines, and which Beijing has refused to recognize.

Mr. Dionisio said credible evidence of foreign funding intended to influence government decisions should be investigated regardless of the political affiliation of those involved.

“If credible evidence proves that foreign money was given to the Duterte family or people closely associated with them with the intention of influencing government policy, then this is no longer simply a political controversy,” he said. “It becomes a national security issue.”

Defense Secretary Gilberto C. Teodoro, Jr. likewise warned of serious national security implications should the allegations be substantiated. “He should submit the evidence in his possession, if any, to our law enforcement authorities so the matter can be thoroughly investigated,” he said in a statement released through Malacañang over the weekend, referring to Mr. Trillanes.

Palace Press Officer Clarissa A. Castro said public officials could face serious legal consequences if financial inducements were found to have shaped their position on Philippine territorial and maritime rights. Such conduct could potentially constitute treason, she said, while stressing that the administration was not passing judgment on the allegations.

How the dispute develops may hinge on whether Mr. Trillanes submits his documents to investigators, as Mr. Teodoro urged, and on whether the Chinese Embassy responds to the claims.

A long-running foreign policy debate

Debates over whether Philippine officials should maintain close ties with particular foreign powers have long shaped the country's politics, according to Hansley A. Juliano, a political science lecturer at the Ateneo de Manila University. He noted that the Philippines had sought relationships not only with the US and China but also with Japan, Europe and Australia.

“The difference is that due to superpower status and the sheer strategic position we have, a government being too identified with US agendas or essentially surrendering to Chinese sovereignty claims is a polarizing position to be in,” he told BusinessWorld in a Messenger chat.

“Anyone responsible for seriously violating our sovereign interests should be held liable, regardless of the foreign country involved,” he said. However, the threat posed by China warrants greater priority, he added.

Mr. Juliano added that multilateral partnerships were becoming increasingly important but could remain fragile unless foreign policy became a broader national priority rather than merely an agenda pursued by government institutions.

Duterte camp responds

Salvador Paolo A. Panelo, Jr., spokesman for Ms. Duterte, dismissed Mr. Trillanes' allegations as another attempt to discredit the Vice-President and her family. Her camp maintained that the accusations were politically motivated and said her defense team was prepared to challenge the claims presented before the Senate impeachment court.

Mr. Trillanes has stood by his allegations, saying they rest on financial records.

The dispute comes amid continuing tensions between Manila and Beijing in the South China Sea, including confrontations involving Philippine and Chinese vessels near disputed areas.

Call for continuity

Mr. Juliano said making foreign policy a central issue in the 2028 elections could help establish a more durable national position on the West Philippine Sea — the areas of the South China Sea within the Philippines' exclusive economic zone.

Mr. Dionisio likewise warned against allowing Philippine maritime policy to change substantially with each administration.

“The 2016 arbitral award, UNCLOS (United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea) and the protection of our sovereign rights should transcend administrations because we cannot afford a West Philippine Sea policy that resets every six years,” he said.

Source: BusinessWorld