Harsh penalties await those who will be arrested for selling coronavirus disease (COVID-19) vaccines or vaccination slots, Justice Secretary Menardo I. Guevarra on Sunday, May 30.

“Yung mga mahuli na gumagawa nito at mapatunayang may kasalanan ay maaaring ma-hold criminally liable under our Food and Drug Administration Law (Those who will get caught and were proven to have done these activities will be held criminally liable under the FDA Law),” he said during a radio interview over DZBB.

‘Ang tingin ko mas matindi ang penalty under the FDA Law (I think the FDA Law has the harshest penalties),” he added.

He pointed out that none of the COVID-19 vaccines available in the country have been granted commercial distribution.

“Kaya kung tina-transact na yan commercially ng isang tao ay yan ay paglabag sa ating FDA Law (commercial transactions for these vaccines are in violation of the FDA Law),” he stressed.

On the other hand, Guevarra admitted that those who paid for the vaccines or vaccines slots go scot-free.

“Walang penalty sa taong voluntarily pumayag. Katawan niya yun, sariling decision niya yun kung gagamit siya ng gamot or not o ng vaccine or not (There is no penalty for those who voluntarily gave their approval. It’s their own body, their own decision to get vaccinated),” he pointed out.

He added that that they might have been forced to seek vaccination “siguro sa takot niya o sa pag-aalala niya sa kanyang kalusugan (maybe because of fear or concern for his or her health).”