US Department of Defense has admitted to disseminating propaganda in the Philippines aimed at undermining the efficacy of China’s Sinovac COVID-19 vaccine, according to a recently disclosed memo. The revelation, made public by a former top government official, was documented in a June 25 memo and verified by Reuters.
The Pentagon confirmed that it engaged in efforts to cast doubt on Sinovac’s safety and effectiveness. This admission was made in response to a podcast by Harry Roque, former spokesperson for Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte, and later corroborated by Reuters. The memo detailed communications between the US Defense Department and the Philippine Departments of Foreign Affairs and National Defense, highlighting “missteps in COVID-related messaging.” It noted that the anti-vaccine campaign, which involved the use of social media content, was deemed “misaligned with our priorities.”
The Pentagon assured that oversight and accountability measures for information operations have been strengthened since 2022. The document revealed that the US military ceased its COVID-related messaging by August 2021.
US Defense Department spokesman Pete Nguyen confirmed the distribution of social media content about Sinovac but did not provide specifics about the document. Initial concerns from US national security officials centered around China using the pandemic to gain geopolitical advantages through vaccine aid, which spurred the disinformation campaign.
The operation, which involved online bots and fake social media accounts, extended beyond the Philippines to Central Asia, the Middle East, and Southeast Asia. The Philippines, which experienced severe COVID-19 impacts with nearly 67,000 deaths and over 4 million infections by 2024, was a significant target due to its reliance on Sinovac.
The Philippine Senate, led by Senator Imee Marcos, has launched an investigation into the US military’s covert operation. Marcos condemned the campaign as “evil, wicked, dangerous, unethical,” and questioned its legality and potential ramifications for the Philippines.
