Operation "Vacant Light": the death hoax campaign, and how it worked

A three-month information operation targeting the health and continuity of the Marcos administration, and how its techniques worked.

Issued by CIRIS

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A deep dive into the “death hoax” conspiracy campaign on President Bongbong Marcos.

Between January and April 2026, a documented information operation ran for three months targeting the health and continuity of the Marcos administration. We show the public how the techniques worked, because they will be used again.

Download the full guide (PDF) (opens in a new tab)

Cite this

CIRIS (2026). Operation "Vacant Light": the death hoax campaign, and how it worked. The Lab, Center for Information Resilience and Integrity Studies. ciris.org.ph/publications/operation-vacant-light

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