House probe sought on 'secret' US campaign vs China-made COVID-19 vaccines

Members of the Makabayan bloc in the House of Representatives are seeking an investigation into the reported secret campaign of the United States military to discredit China-made vaccines during the COVID-19 pandemic.

"Such underhanded tactics by a foreign military power sowing disinformation in the Philippines are a brazen affront to our national sovereignty and the democratic rights of Filipinos to access truthful information vital to public health and safety," the Makabayan lawmakers said on House Resolution (HR) 1773. 

Those who filed the resolution included ACT Teachers party-list Representative France Castro, Gabriela Women's Party Representative Arlene Brosas, and Kabataan party-list Representative Raoul Manuel.

According to a Reuters report, the US aimed to “sow doubt about the safety and efficacy of vaccines and other life-saving aid” that was being supplied by China to countries like the Philippines during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The report said the Pentagon had been trafficking in COVID-19 “misinformation” through X, formerly Twitter. It identified at least 300 accounts, almost all of which were created in the summer of 2020 and centered on the slogan #Chinaangvirus.

According to HR 1773, the "ulterior" motive of the supposed campaign was "clearly geopolitical rivalry between the US and China."

Manuel said this just shows that Filipinos are "mere pawns" by the US military to counter China.

"Pagpapakita yon kung ano talaga ang tingin ng US military sa mamamayang Pilipino. Para sa kanyia, ang Pilipinas ay parang mga pawn lamang. We are mere pawns sa kanyang agenda na i-counter ang China bilang kaniyang competitor as global superpowers,” Manuel said.

(This just shows how the US military looks at Filipinos. For them, the Philippines is nothing but a pawn. We are mere pawns in their agenda to counter China as their competitor in the global superpower.)

“Ang paggamit ng ganoong (to use this kind of) psychological operations to influence domestic policy during the health crisis is really unacceptable and manipulative,” he added.

Brosas, for her part, said the report should serve as a sign for the Marcos administration to reconsider its diplomatic relations with the US.

Castro, meanwhile, stressed the need for the country to have its own research and development.

“Highly concerning and it requires a deep investigation,” she said of the Reuters report.

“At hamon na rin sa ating bansa na palakasin ang research and development lalong-lalo na doon sa mga virus,” Castro added.

(This should also serve as a challenge to our country to strengthen our research and development especially regarding viruses.)

At the Senate, Senator Imee Marcos, who chairs the Committee on Foreign Relations, has also called for an inquiry into the alleged secret US military campaign against Chinese vaccines. —KBK, GMA Integrated News