Two individuals, who already completed their Sinovac COVID-19 jab and still received a “booster” shot of another vaccine brand, have been charged before the Quezon City prosecutor’s office for violating the local government's ordinance against COVID-19 vaccine fraudsters.
The respondents were identified as Paul Pajo and Francis Alano, who both claimed in separate Facebook posts that they received another jab using Moderna and Pfizer, respectively, despite being fully inoculated with the Chinese vaccine.
Lawyer Orlando Casimiro, Quezon City's counsel who filed the charges, said the two violated the recently passed Ordinance No. SP-3032 S-2021 or “An Ordinance Prohibiting COVID-19 Vaccine Fraud," particularly its provisions of misrepresentation of "vaccine status for purposes of fraud, or deceit, including a fully-vaccinated person pretending to be unvaccinated for purposes of receiving additional unwarranted inoculations,” and of “commission of any other deceit or fraud in relation to the Government’s COVID-19 vaccination program.”
Pajo and Alano, if found guilty, will be penalized with a fine of P5,000 and/or imprisonment of not less than one month but not more than six months, or both, at the discretion of the proper court.
Mayor Joy Belmonte in a statement said she condemns the action of these
"greedy and selfish" individuals because many in the city have not yet received at least a dose of the COVID-19 vaccine.
"Ako iniisip ko kung may nag-post, saka natin nahuli, [aano pa kaya ‘yung mga napakaraming nakakuha ng booster shot na hindi nag-post, no? (I'm thinking, if we're only able to catch these two because of their Facebook posts, how about those who already had a booster shot but did not post?)" Belmonte added in a DZBB interview.
If Pajo's and Alano's posts were proven false, Belmonte said, they would still be held liable for making fake claims related to COVID-19 vaccines.
"Doon sa pangalawang nag-post, sabi nya, hindi, nagloloko (lang) daw sya... May iba pang parusa dyan (One of them denied the claim and said he was only joking. But he would still have to face charges) even if you did not have a third dose," Belmonte said.
Casimiro, however, told Manila Bulletin in an interview that the local government has sufficient evidence in holding individuals accountable under the city ordinance.
“We in the local government are taking this matter seriously. We will not tolerate actions like this, especially that a good number of individuals have yet to receive their first vaccine dose, not just in our city but in our country in general. Nagkakagulo na nga para lang makakuha ng bakuna ang mga tao, may manlalamang pa,” Belmonte said.
Joseph Juico, co-chair of the QC Task Force Vax to Normal, added the local government is already looking at adding new forms or waivers that those receiving the vaccine will have to sign to prevent such acts.