‘Englishero’ trolls infest InsiderPH comments on Leviste post

Similar English comments defending SP New Energy Corp.’s Leviste-linked land deal draw scrutiny, while several accounts appear to have little meaningful activity.

SP New Energy Corp.’s land deal involving companies linked to Batangas 1st District Representative Leandro Leviste has drawn an unusual wave of comments defending the transaction, prompting some readers to suspect that a possible troll-farm operation may be at work.

The comments appeared in the section of an InsiderPH report on SP New Energy Corp.’s land acquisitions from companies linked to Leviste.

Several comments defending the transaction use notably similar corporate and financial language, with references to “related-party transactions,” “strategic rationale,” “additional disclosures,” and the “capital and land requirements” of renewable-energy projects.

One commenter alleged to be a troll wrote, “Related-party transactions are not automatically good or bad; the important questions are process, terms, transparency, and strategic rationale,” while another said the transaction should be viewed in the context of the Philippines’ renewable-energy expansion.

A quick check of the Facebook accounts posting comments defending Leviste also appears to show a pattern. Several have few or no meaningful posts or other activity that would suggest they are active personal accounts, suggesting some may not represent genuine users.

Other commenters quickly noticed the unusual pattern, with one writing, “Man, the auto bots are activated big time,” while another joked, “From solar farm to troll farm?”

Several also pointed out that the seemingly coordinated comments were written in English, with one saying, “Hirap mag-comment ako lang ata ang Tagalog magsalita dito.”

Comment sections can be targeted by coordinated accounts to shape public perception, drown out criticism, create the appearance of widespread support, or shift attention away from questions surrounding a controversial issue.

The comments themselves allege that the accounts defending the transaction could be connected to Leviste, but there is no evidence establishing that the commenters are paid trolls or that they were organized by Leviste or any company associated with him.

The InsiderPH report said SP New Energy Corp.’s subsidiary Terra Nueva Inc. plans to acquire properties from Provincia Investments Corp. and JJPNM Agro Industrial Corp., both subsidiaries of Leviste’s Solar Philippines Power Project Holdings Inc. The latter retained a 16.3% stake in SPNEC as of June 30.

Leviste is currently facing a preliminary investigation by the Office of the Ombudsman alongside his mother, Sen. Loren Legarda, and former Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi over alleged plunder and graft tied to more than ₱10 billion worth of solar projects. Investigators allege that the group conspired to secure exclusive government rights over solar resources.

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