Newspaper columnist Ramon Tulfo has openly admitted receiving an unregistered Sinopharm vaccine but Malacañang does not see what all the fuss was about.

Presidential spokesman Harry Roque tried to keep the Palace's distance from Tulfo's action, adding that he does not even know if his appointment as special envoy to China was still effective.

"I don’t understand the big deal about the Mon Tulfo write-up. That’s an account of Mon Tulfo and if you want verification please contact Mon Tulfo because I cannot answer on his behalf," Roque said during a televised press briefing Wednesday, Feb. 24.

Asked if the Palace was alarmed by the use of unregistered vaccines in the country, Roque recognized that getting protection from an illness was understandable but certain government processes must be followed.

"Sa panahon ng pandemya naiintindihan ko po na marami talagang gustong magkaroon ng proteksiyon pero ang sinasabi natin sa lahat, hintayin po natin na dumaan sa proseso for our own interest (During the pandemic, I understand that many want to get protection but we're telling everything to wait for the process for our own interest)," he said.

Tulfo, in his Manila Times column on Feb.20, revealed that he received Sinopharm vaccine last October along with other government officials. He explained that he risked his life to get inoculated since he has applied to be a local distributor of Sinopharm vaccine. 

At present, Sinopharm has not applied for the emergency use approval of its vaccine before the country's Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

In the same newspaper column, Tulfo bared some details about his private meeting with the President, including Duterte's preference for the Sinopharm vaccine. He said Duterte offered to be vaccinated in public, adding the President believes Sinopharm product is the best among the brands in the market. 

Tulfo likewise mentioned arranging a phone call between the President and a Sinopharm representative. Duterte supposedly requested for samples of the vaccine.

Asked to confirm the President's conversation with the Sinopharm official, Roque said he has no information on the matter. "If I will admit, I was in this adjacent room when Mon Tulfo was there but I could not really hear what they were discussing," he said.

Roque however assured that the President was not dealing directly with Sinopharm in terms of the country's supply.

"As in fact, we still cannot import Sinopharm on a commercial basis, not even commercial on a large-scale basis beyond the compassionate use license issued by the FDA (Food and Drug Administration)," he said.

On whether there was any conflict of interest in Tulfo's application as vaccine distributor and his role as the President's envoy, Roque also said: "We have no opinion whatsoever. We leave that to the Ombudsman."

Roque admitted that he would still verify if Tulfo's appointment has been renewed by the President.

"I do not know if he has been reappointed as special envoy. These appointments are renewed every six months," he said.

Tulfo was first appointed as the President's special envoy for public diplomacy to China in October 2018. His appointment was renewed in May 2019.