Even though the Palace has urged Filipinos not to be choosy with the brand of coronavirus vaccines, President Duterte seemed to be sticking with his choice of vaccine: Sinopharm.
And now, Malacañang is pulling out all stops to check if the President's Sinopharm vaccination could actually happen.
According to Presidential spokesman Harry Roque, the Palace has started to study whether or not the President could take the Chinese-developed vaccine under the compassionate use permit. Roque had said the President prefers to get the Sinopharm vaccine.
"They are studying kung pupuwedeng gamitin 'yung compassionate use para legal basis for the President to have the Sinopharm vaccine. But it is still being studied by the Malacañang legal office," Roque said during a televised press briefing Thursday, Feb. 25.
If it won’t be possible, Roque left to the President to decide if he would take the other Chinese-developed coronavirus vaccine. Around 600,000 doses of Sinovac vaccines donated by China will be the first to arrive in the country this coming Sunday.
"So it’s up to the President pa rin kung magpapaturok po siya ng Sinovac, although he has expressed his preference for Sinopharm,” he said.
At present, the Sinopharm vaccine maker has not yet applied for an emergency use authorization (EUA) from the country's Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
The local drug regulator however allowed the "compassionate use" of the Chinese-made vaccine following a request made by the Presidential Security Group (PSG). The special permit allows the PSG to import 10,000 doses of Sinopharm vaccines for its members and their families. Some members of the PSG received smuggled and unapproved COVID-19 vaccines last year.
"Alam ko mayroon namang parating na Sinopharm kaya lang po under compassionate use. At pinag-aaralan po if the compassionate use license can be a basis for the President, who is after all the Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines kung pupuwede siyang pumasok doon sa (if he can fall under the) compassionate use clause ng Sinopharm," Roque said.
Giving an opinion as a lawyer, Roque is convinced the President can get the Sinopharm vaccine under this compassionate license. "If you ask me as a lawyer, he is the commander-in-chief of the Armed Force of the Philippines and he should be allowed to use the Sinopharm under the compassionate use license," he said.