ACT Teachers Rep. France Castro. (FILE PHOTO)
MANILA, Philippines — A lawmaker on Sunday called on the leaders of the House of Representatives to initiate a thorough probe into the alleged secret anti-inoculation campaign of the United States (US) military aimed at undermining China during the COVID-19 pandemic.
House Deputy Minority leader and ACT Teachers party-list Rep. France Castro’s statement after Reuters published an expose about the purported campaign by the US Pentagon during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.
READ: DOH exec wants anti-vax campaign of US Pentagon uncovered
“It is imperative that we ascertain the extent of the damage caused by this secret campaign and hold those responsible accountable. 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,” Castro said in a statement.
The special report claimed that the anti-vaccine effort began in 2020, “expanded beyond Southeast Asia before it was terminated in mid-2021,” and used “a combination of fake social media accounts on multiple platforms to spread fear of China’s vaccines.”
“Through phony internet accounts meant to impersonate Filipinos, the military’s propaganda efforts morphed into an anti-vax campaign. Social media posts decried the quality of face masks, test kits, and the first vaccine that would become available in the Philippines – China’s Sinovac inoculation,” the report said.
The lawmaker condemned the US government’s campaign, which she claimed contributed to the vaccine hesitancy in the Philippines that resulted in unnecessary loss of lives.
Castro emphasized the importance of “transparency, truth, and ethical conduct, especially during a global health crisis.”
“The actions undertaken by the US government, as revealed by this investigation, are deeply concerning and demand immediate attention,” she said.
‘Biggest bully’
Likewise, Bayan Muna executive vice president Carlos Isagani Zarate said the revelation showed that the US is “the world’s biggest bully, premier black ops operator, and warmonger.”
“Pentagon tried to paint a goon out of China during the COVID-19 pandemic, but as the Reuters investigation now revealed, it’s the US that is the real global goon – one with no regard to the lives of those ravaged by the pandemic,” Zarate lamented in a separate statement.