The Philippine government raised concerns on Thursday (May 6) when it asked Beijing authorities to withdraw 1,000 doses of the donated Sinopharm coronavirus (CCP) vaccine.
The development comes after Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte on May 3 gave a televised vaccination against the CCP virus from Sinopharm, which is not officially licensed in the country. Duterte’s public inoculation of the donated vaccine sparked widespread criticism from many quarters, with critics condemning him for violating vaccine laws.
Duterte apologized publicly, but said the use of the CCP vaccine was “recommended by his doctor” because it “falls under the compassionate use exemption” and did not violate regulations.
However, the Philippine government was quick to concede to criticism from domestic parties. The government announced that it would return 1,000 doses of a Chinese Communist virus vaccine donated by Beijing after the president’s public vaccination with the Chinese medicine sparked much opposition.
On Wednesday (May 5), the Philippine Food and Drug Administration approved the emergency use of the U.S. company Moderna’s CCP virus vaccine, which is expected to receive 194,000 doses delivered this month. The U.S. drugmaker’s vaccine is the seventh to be approved for emergency use in the Philippines.
In early April, media reports reported that many of Duterte’s guards were allegedly privately injected with the CCP vaccine in late 2020, but that more than 126 people have since cumulatively contracted the CCP virus, with 45 active cases. Brig. Gen. Jesus Durante III, commander of the Philippine Presidential Security Guard, confirmed in a televised interview that the guards were infected with the CCP virus, but did not comment on their vaccinations against the virus.
In addition to the return of the donated vaccine, China and the Philippines have also recently clashed over disputed territory.
On May 3, Philippine Foreign Affairs Secretary Rodrigo Lochin issued a “foul-mouthed” tweet expelling Chinese maritime police vessels stranded in the South China Sea, saying that “that kind of gentle diplomatic rhetoric does not work at all,” adding that the Chinese Communist Party is like “an ugly fool who wants to take a shot at a handsome man. an ugly fool trying to impose his will on a handsome man who was meant to be a friend.” He later apologized for the foul-mouthed remark.
Lochin’s tweet came on the same day that the Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs issued a statement accusing Chinese maritime police vessels of “offensive behavior” toward Philippine ships in exercises near Huangyan Island in the South China Sea. Huangyan Island is a disputed area over which both China and the Philippines have declared sovereignty.
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