President Duterte has ordered the police and barangay officials to not let unvaccinated people go around the streets, telling them to escort these "walking spreaders" home and not let them out.
Duterte made the statement following reports of a surge of coronavirus cases in different parts of the country and with the local transmission of the dreaded Delta variant.
In his pre-recorded public address late Wednesday, July 28, the President reiterated that the answer to the problem at hand was vaccination. He said the vaccines for those who refused to take the shot should immediately be given to those who were willing.
"Itong ayaw magpabakuna, ibigay na lang agad... doon na sa public, kung sino ang gusto. Ibigay natin sa iba para makatulong (To those who do not want to get vaccinated, give their shots to the public, those who are willing. Give it to them so we can help them out)," he said.
"Let's give it to the people who want it. Those who do not want it, for all I care you can die anytime," he added.
President Duterte said he will tell the police and the barangays to escort the unvaccinated people back to their homes.
"Itong ayaw magpabakuna, sinasabi ko sa inyo, 'wag kayong lumabas ng bahay (I'm telling those who refuse to be vaccinated, do not leave your house)... You'll be escorted back to your house because you are a walking spreader," he said.
"It behooves upon really the barangay captains.. to go around to see who are vaccinated and who are not, and to give the appropriate warning that they should not be going around because they are throwing viruses left and right," he added.
"Pag ayaw nilang magpabakuna, 'wag mo silang palabasin ng bahay. Ganoon ang ano niyan. Wala tayo, defenseless tayo, eh (If they don't want to get vaccinated, don't let them out of their house. That's how it is. We're defenseless)," he continued.
According to the President, he was forced to make the move to save the country.
"Bayan itong pinag-uusapan natin kaya kung ayaw ninyong makatuong by having the vaccines, 'wag na lang kayong lumabas ng bahay (We're talking about our country here so if you don't want to help by having the vaccine, then don't leave your house)," he said.
He added that there was no law that would punish those who refuse to get inoculated and he did not intend to wait for one because of the urgency of the situation.
"Sabihin natin walang batas, maghintay pa ba ako sa batas kung marami na naman ang mamatay (Let's say there was no law, should I wait for one when a lot of people are dying already)?" Duterte said.
"'Yan ang problems (That's the problem). There is no law but the law of necessity is there," he added.
Duterte said he would take full responsibility for his order.
Meanwhile, the President said those who have already gotten vaccinated were free to go outside.
"I do not have any qualms-- people going out kung bakunado (if they are already vaccinated). What's the purpose of having vaccine if you cannot go out?" Duterte said.
"Yung mga bakunado pwede na kayo magpasyal-pasyal. Yung mga hindi, tumabi muna kayo. Magplano ako kung anong gagawin ko sa inyo (The vaccinated ones are free to roam around. Those who are not, step aside. I am thinking of what I should do with you)," he added.
This was not the first time Duterte said those who continue to doubt or refuse the COVID-19 vaccines should stay at home instead. Last week, he called those people "anti-social" for resisting despite the threat of the pandemic.
Meanwhile, Presidential Adviser for Entrepreneurship Joey Concepcion urged the government to take a page from French President Emmanuel Macron's playbook and limit the movement of the unvaccinated population to save the economy.