PAO Chief Acosta confesses: 'I'm unvaccinated'
Public Attorney’s Office (PAO) Chief Persida V. Rueda Acosta confessed that she is not vaccinated against the coronavirus disease (COVID-19).
But Acosta warned that she will take action against local laws that restrict the movement and punish unvaccinated persons.
“If ever the local officials will incarcerate me for being unvaxed, then I will fight for my cause,” declared Acosta on Monday, Jan. 17, during an interview over ANC’s Headstart.
She explained that she remained unvaccinated due to her age and other health considerations.
But she stressed: “I am not anti-vaccination.”
“Ako talaga may second thoughts ako (I have second thoughts in getting vaccinated). I am waiting for a protein-based COVID vaccine,” she said as she noted that the vaccines currently available are based on ribonucleic acid (RNA).
She noted that her brothers and daughter have been vaccinated and even the PAO has a 91 percent vaccination rate.
“There are many groups who are preparing to ask for the declaration of the unconstitutionality of any mandatory or indirect mandatory vaccination,” Acosta said.
She said she has no plans to join. “There is no need for me to be a part of that because we do not collaborate unless it is necessary,” she added.
She then appealed to local government units (LGUs) not to implement policies that are discriminatory against unvaccinated persons.
The Bill of Rights of the Constitution states that “no person shall be deprived of life, liberty, and property without due process of law,” said.
She also cited Republic Act No. 11525, also known as the COVID-19 Vaccination Program of 2021, which provides that “vaccine cards shall not be necessary for educational, any transaction.”
At the same time, Acosta pointed out that Department of Health (DOH) portal also declared that “may karapatan ang pasyente na tumanggi sa bakuna at tumanggi sa anu mang medicine dahil ang katawang ito ay pag-aari mo mismo, hindi pag-aari ng gobyerno ang katawan mo (a patient has the right to refuse a vaccine or any medicine because the body belongs to the person and not the government).”
She defended President Duterte’s instructions to LGUs to restrict the movements of unvaccinated persons.
“We cannot blame the President because he believes that the only way to curb and to fight against the pandemic is vaccination,” she said.
“Pero it does not mean i-violate ninyo ang Konstitusyon (But it does not mean the Constitution should be violated),” she stressed.