THE Armed Forces described as fake news a supposed standoff involving Philippine and Malaysian warships in relation to the Sabah and West Philippine Sea disputes, as portrayed in a video spread on social media.
“A circulating YouTube video falsely depicts a supposed naval standoff between Philippine and Malaysian forces. This is entirely fabricated — no such incident occurred,” the military said in a statement.
The video, posted by “Info Spark Hub,” alleged the standoff near Sabah broke out when a Philippine Navy ship cut through a cluster of fishing boats in the contested water, prompting a Malaysian ship to respond and tell the Philippine ship to leave.
The standoff, according to the video, ended without violence after “tense negotiations.”
“The ships parted ways but the message was clear – next time the outcome might not be so restrained,” it added.
The AFP said the standoff “did not happen,” adding the video is a “work of disinformation – an information spread deliberately to mislead people.”
The AFP also said the video “intends to strain our 60-year diplomatic ties with Malaysia, erode public trust in the AFP, and provoke unnecessary tensions.”
“Such disinformation threatens peace and stability in the region, serving only political or strategic agendas,” it said.
“The AFP stands firm in its commitment to transparency, truth, and the protection of our national interests. The truth is our strongest defense,” it added.
