Vice President Leni Robredo on Sunday backed the move to investigate the unauthorized vaccination of some Cabinet and Presidential Security Group (PSG) members to prevent sending a “wrong message” to the public about breaking the law.
(OVP / FILE PHOTO / MANILA BULLETIN)
In her weekly radio show, Robredo lamented the government officials themselves were those behind the inoculation of the unregistered vaccines.
“Dapat maimbestigahan kasi iyon ‘yung mensahe din na hindi natin papalampasin. Kasi kung papalampasin lang, para ine-encourage ‘yung tao na gumawa ng mali kasi parang walang nangyayari, parang walang sanctions,” she said.
(It should be investigated because that will send a message we can’t allow. If we let this pass, it’s like we are encouraging people to do wrong because nothing will happen, there won’t be sanctions.)
President Duterte revealed that China’s Sinopharm vaccines, which were not regulated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for local use, have been given to some people in government.
Robredo said she hoped the officials involved would be transparent and they would make themselves accountable for their unlawful acts.
“Bakit hindi sinunod iyong protocols, bakit may viniolate na batas, bakit hindi sinunod iyong priorization na ginawa ng IATF (Inter-Agency Task Force), ng DOH (Department of Health), ng ating vaccine czar?,” she asked.
(Why were the protocols not followed, why the laws were violated, why the priorization made by the IATF, DOH, and our vaccine czar were not followed?)
The vice president also commented on Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana’s recent statement that the vaccines were “smuggled” but its intention was “justified” as it was meant to protect the President.
“‘Yung mensahe rito, pwede palang ganoon? Kung mayroon kang means, kung mayroon kang pambili o kakilala sa labas, puwede pala iyon,” she said.
(The message here, that is allowed? If you have the means, if you have the money to buy it or know someone from the outside, that is justified.)
“That should not be the case because it is illegal,” Robredo stressed.