A healthcare worker receiving a Sinovac Covid-19 vaccine jab (Juan Carlo de Vela/ MANILA BULLETIN)

Following the report that the United States (US) military launched a “secret anti-vaccine campaign” to undermine China’s Sinovac inoculation in the Philippines during the Covid-19 pandemic, Makabayan bloc solons are urging an immediate inquiry over this “deeply concerning” revelation.

Through House Resolution (HR) No. 1773, ACT Teachers Party-list Rep. France Castro, Gabriela Women’s Party-list Rep. Arlene Brosas, and Kabataan Party-list Rep. Raoul Manuel are calling on the House of Representatives to conduct an investigation, in aid of legislation, into the clandestine campaign which “severely impacted” the Philippines.

“It is imperative that we ascertain the extent of the damage caused by this secret campaign and hold those responsible accountable,” said Castro, a House deputy minority leader.

“The scope and reach of this campaign are alarming,” she added.

Based on an investigation by news agency Reuters, the US Pentagon reportedly ran a misinformation campaign through the use of phony social media accounts impersonating Filipinos.

Through the use of fake accounts, the anti-vaccine message spread like wildfire on social media websites. It specifically targeted China's Sinovac vaccine.

Reuters identified over 300 fake accounts on X (formerly Twitter), created in the summer of 2020, that seem to parrot the same anti-vaccine sentiment, with slogans such as #Chinaangvirus (China is the virus). 

These accounts also disseminated messages such as "COVID came from China and the VACCINE also came from China, don't trust China!" and "From China – PPE, Face Mask, Vaccine: FAKE. But the Coronavirus is real."

Castro said the impact of this operation on public health cannot be overstated.

She noted that public health experts have rightly criticized this campaign for endangering lives and undermining trust in vaccines.

Amid the already limited vaccine coverage in the Philippines during that time, the campaign contributed to vaccine hesitancy and may have led to unnecessary loss of lives, she said.

The report further bared that despite objections from US diplomats in Southeast Asia, the Pentagon continued the operation.

A certain senior military officer involved in the program was quoted as saying that they were only looking to “drag China through the mud”, as a response to America’s dwindling influence in the Philippines during the Duterte administration.

Moreover, an internal review conducted by the Pentagon in late 2021 recognized the use of sloppy tradecraft and lack of oversight, yet reports suggest that similar campaigns persist, with General Dynamics IT winning a $493-million contract to provide influence services.

Propaganda efforts were also allegedly implemented for social media websites across the Middle East and Central Asia.

“The Philippines was one of the areas targeted by this operation, and therefore, it is our duty to safeguard our nation's sovereignty and protect our people's health,” said Castro.

The lawmaker emphasized that even in times of a global health crisis, transparency, truth, and ethical conduct must remain paramount.

“The actions undertaken by the US government, as revealed by this investigation, are deeply concerning and demand immediate attention,” she added.