Gov’t rejects CPP-NPA plea to let Red Cross, not military, handle vaccine delivery

The government's vaccination program will be implemented as planned regardless of the opposition of the communist group to the military involvement in the delivery of the supplies, Malacañang said Tuesday.

President spokesman Harry Roque has dismissed the plea from the rebel group to let the Red Cross personnel transport the vaccines instead of the military.

"Unang-una, we have a rollout plan. Iyon po ang masusunod kahit anong sabihin pa ng CPP-NPA. Number two, I guess they have freedom of expression but they are tagged as a terrorist group so parang they can express their opinion but hanggang doon lang po iyon (First, we have a rollout plan. That will be followed regardless of what the CPP-NPA says. Number two, I guess they have freedom of expression but they are tagged as a terrorist group so they can express their opinion but that's how far it will go)," Roque said during televised press briefing Tuesday, Feb. 9.

"Ang ating rollout plan po ay binuo po iyan sa tulong po ng mga pangunahing eksperto (Our rollout has been crated with the help of experts) and it will remain," he said 

In a televised address Monday, Feb. 8, President Duterte appealed to the communist party to allow the unimpeded transport of the coronavirus vaccines to the people. He said they should follow the "rules of humanity" and not to intercept the delivery of the vital medical supplies.

Duterte also wanted the military and police personnel to help ensure safe and swift delivery of the vaccines to the intended beneficiaries. Police and military camps, he added, could also be used as alternative vaccination centers.

The communist rebel group issued a statement promising to respect the humanitarian corridor for the coronavirus vaccines. 

The group however suggested that the vaccine transport and inoculation should be handled by the trained personnel of the Red Cross and other humanitarian groups. It claimed that the vaccines should not be transported in military vehicles, saying the Armed Forces conducted combat and postwar operations "behind the veil of implementing COVID-19 restrictions."