On 13 September 2025, Ateneo de Davao University (AdDU) convened a timely forum entitled “The Hidden War: Information as the New Battleground in the Philippines” at the Calungsod–San Vitores Jesuit–Lay Collaboration Center. In partnership with the Eastern Mindanao Command (EastMinCom), the event brought together academics, students, civil society representatives, and security sector leaders to examine the weaponization of information and the spread of disinformation. The forum underscored that false narratives are not mere online irritants but potent tools that shape political decisions, deepen social divisions, and endanger lives. Veteran journalist and AdDU Trustee, Ms. Jamela Alindogan, delivered the keynote address, offering sharp insights drawn from decades of frontline reporting. She emphasized the moral responsibility of journalists, peacebuilders, and educators to defend truth as a cornerstone of justice and peace. Her reflections also exposed the vulnerability of local communities who are deliberately targeted by disinformation to weaken their voices and distort their realities. The forum served as a vital space for critical reflection and collaborative strategizing to protect information integrity in Philippine society.
Disinformation as a Weaponized Battlefield
The framing of disinformation as a “hidden war” reflects a sobering reality: public life is no longer shaped solely by direct political decisions, but by competing narratives amplified in digital spaces. As Ms. Alindogan emphasized, disinformation campaigns manipulate perceptions, distort facts, and weaponize mistrust. This is not merely about “fake news” but about systematic strategies designed to fracture communities, delegitimize democratic processes, and reinforce cycles of conflict.
A Contested Forum
The forum was not without tension. During the open discussion, a former member of the Communist Party of the Philippines and their armed wing, the New Peoples Army (CPP/NPA), accused student journalists of serving as “propaganda platforms.” Alindogan responded firmly: journalism is about giving space to minority voices and building credibility through ethical, accurate reporting. Her defense of campus journalism underscored a key truth — credible information is itself a form of peacebuilding, and silencing or discrediting student press is a way of undermining democratic dialogue.
The Nuance Between Peacebuilding and Counter-Insurgency
For us at PeaceBuilders Community, Inc. (PBCI), this forum highlighted the nuanced distinction between justice-based peacebuilding and state-led counter-insurgency operations. EastMinCom’s co-sponsorship signaled that the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) recognizes disinformation as a battlefield. Yet for the AFP, information operations are often tied to military objectives: neutralizing insurgents, defending the state, and controlling populations in conflict-affected zones.
Justice-based peacebuilding, however, moves differently. We ground our work in truth-telling, mutual trust-building, and addressing structural injustices that breed violence. Whereas counter-insurgency may view communities through the lens of potential threat or recruitment base, justice-based peacebuilding insists on seeing communities as partners in shaping just and lasting peace. The difference is subtle but profound: one approach securitizes narratives; the other liberates them for authentic dialogue and transformation.
Implications for Justice-Based Peacebuilding and PBCI’s Program Development
This forum compels us to strengthen PBCI’s response to the challenge of disinformation in the coming years. Several implications stand out:
- Media and Digital Literacy as Peacebuilding
We must expand our community-based media literacy programs, equipping grassroots leaders, faith-based communities, and young peacebuilders to discern manipulated content and resist narrative warfare. - Community-Based Information Integrity
Developing networks of trusted local communicators, especially in indigenous and rural areas, can serve as a “peace firewall” against divisive propaganda. - Faith and Disinformation
A sideline but significant challenge was raised by our Founding President, Lakan Sumulong, who asked: “How does one deal with a religious council, my Evangelical community, whose large membership zealously adheres to Zionism and support to apartheid Israel, and at the same time claiming to be bearers of the truth and of the Good News?” This question illustrates how disinformation intersects with theology, geopolitics, and spiritual authority — and why our work must integrate faith-based dialogue on truth and justice. - Guarding Against the Militarization of Narratives
While cooperation with the security sector is necessary in some contexts, we must vigilantly protect our programs from being subsumed under counter-insurgency frameworks. Justice-based peacebuilding requires independence from the logic of war, even as we cooperate in areas of overlapping concern like truth and accountability. - Strategic Communications as Core Mission
Information and communications should no longer be seen as support services, but as frontline peacebuilding programs in themselves. PBCI must invest in training, infrastructure, and partnerships to professionalize this field within our organization.
Affirmation and Gratitude
We affirm Ms. Jamela Alindogan’s courage and clarity. Her keynote at this forum was a powerful reminder that truth-telling is peacebuilding, and that credible journalism is a bulwark against disinformation. We need more of her insights, and more perspectives like hers, to nurture a culture of truth in the Philippines.
We also extend our gratitude to Ateneo de Davao University for convening this crucial conversation. By creating space where academics, security forces, journalists, and civil society can wrestle with the “hidden war” of disinformation, AdDU has advanced the work of building a society where truth, justice, and peace are more resilient than the lies that seek to divide us.
