The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) has monitored an uptick in "foreign-maligned influence activities" in the country over "the past four months".

"When we speak of foreign malign influence, these are actions and messages designed to shape public perception, to depart from what is true," retired Rear Admiral Roy Vincent Trinidad, AFP spokesman for the West Philippine Sea, said in a press briefing on Tuesday.

"Whoever is doing it, without mentioning or calling out anybody, it is obvious to the Filipino people who are making another story about what is happening in our waters," he added.

Trinidad also warned the public that foreign malign influence aims to divide the Filipino people.

"There has been a noted spike or increase in foreign-maligned influence activities for the past four months. This centered on the conduct of law enforcement operations. These targeted government officials to include our very own SND (Secretary of National Defense)," he said.

"These include false narratives on Bajo de Masinloc and the West Philippine Sea to include Ayungin Shoal. Let's be careful because the objective of foreign malign influence is to divide us as a people," he added. Robina Asido/PHS