The Philippine defence minister has said that unapproved Covid-19 vaccines given to President Rodrigo Duterte’s military security detail had been smuggled into the country, but called the move “justified”.

Defence Secretary Delfin Lorenzana said members of the Presidential Security Group (PSG) obtained the vaccine without government authorisation and had administered them without his knowledge.

“Yes smuggled, because they were not authorised, only the government can authorise,” he told reporters when asked if the vaccine was smuggled into the country. They need to explain because they violated FDA rules.”

He added: “It is justified [...] it will protect them so they will not be infected and at the same time they can protect the president.”