A wave of fake news and conspiracy theories has taken aim at the Philippine military, with viral claims of coup plots, foreign interference and high-level defections spreading rapidly on social media.
Observers warn the campaign is fuelling political instability by exploiting public outrage over recent major corruption scandals. Several trace the effort to a network of loyalists and influencers aligned with former president Rodrigo Duterte, the chief political rival of President Ferdinand Marcos Jnr.
They say the goal appears to be undermining confidence in state institutions while portraying Marcos’ administration as weak and illegitimate.
Among the false claims spreading on social media in recent weeks was that the Philippine military was preparing to launch a coup against Marcos, allegedly with support from the US Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) and a group of retired generals loyal to Duterte.
Philippine anti-corruption protests turn violent
Philippine anti-corruption protests turn violent
The military has publicly denied all such stories. But the sheer virality of the posts – shared widely by Duterte-linked influencers – has forced military leaders to push back with repeated clarifications and warnings.
