Mayors Binay, Gatchalian downplay controversy over PSG getting unregistered COVID-19 vaccines

Makati City Mayor Abigail Binay and Valenzuela City Mayor Rex Gatchalian on Tuesday downplayed the controversy over the inoculation of unregistered COVID-19 vaccine on Presidential Security Group (PSG) members.

The mayors said the issue has been blown out of proportion, if not distracted the nation from securing COVID-19 vaccine supply. 

Binay and Gatchalian were referring to the confession of Presidential Security Group (PSG) chief Brigadier General Jesus Durante III that PSG members got inoculated with the COVID-19 vaccines which have not yet been approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Durante added that the vaccinations were conducted in September and October 2020. 

“On a professional level, maybe they might have an administrative liability. But they felt they have a moral duty to have themselves vaccinated. It is the same way ‘yung mga hindi naman allowed sa Pilipinas and then you go abroad, then you come back [here] because it is allowed abroad and not allowed here,” Binay, a lawyer, said in an ANC interview. 

Asked if the PSG violated rules, Binay replied: “Would it be different if they did it abroad and had themselves vaccinated there instead of here? Of course, very technical [ang violation]. Not FDA approved, and those not FDA registered are not supposed to be sold and used here, but I think it is really blown out of proportion. Medyo mababaw.” 

Binay then said that instead of launching a congressional investigation on such administration of illegal COVID-19 vaccine on PSG members, authorities should review the effects of the said unregistered COVID-19 vaccine identified  as Sinopharm by President Rodrigo Duterte. 

“We should talk about how effective is Sinopharm. What are the side effects? We should check their (PSG members’) blood. What is the status of their IGG and IGM? Their antibodies? How did their body react?,” Binay said.

“Might as well use that because that is an available data. We can out it to good use, use them [PSG members] as part of your clinical trial,” Binay added.

Sinopharm expressed intent before to conduct clinical trials in the Philippines. However, Science Secretary Fortunato Dela Peña announced in October last year that the company will no longer hold COVID-19 vaccine clinical trials in the Philippines but would still want to provide a supply of vaccines.

Philippine Ambassador to Beijing Jose Santiago “Chito” Sta. Romana on Monday said Sinopharm and another Chinese vaccine maker, Sinovac, will seek emergency use approval for its COVID-19 vaccines from the FDA this week.

Gatchalian, for his part, said that the PSG took a calculated risk in getting the unregistered COVID-19 vaccine to protect President Duterte. 

'Calculated risk'

“I understand the rationale of doing it to make sure that the President is protected from physical and medical harm. There are certain risks that should be taken, and they took a calculated risk to protect the most crucial person in the country,” Gatchalian said in an ANC interview.

“I would assume it is a managed risk. I don’t believe PSG people would haphazardly inject themselves with these because they also have families,” Gatchalian added.

Gatchalian then said that the issue has been substantially discussed over and over that it is time to move on. 

“No matter where we look, there will be those who will say this is a calculated risk. Others would say this is a haphazard move that sends a wrong message. There is a more pressing matter to be discussed, and that is to get the COVID-19 vaccines approved by the FDA,” Gatchalian said. 

Binay and Gatchalian, however, conceded that the clandestine vaccination of PSG members using unregistered COVID-19 vaccine does not help in the forthcoming unprecedented COVID-19 national vaccination program. 

“It really doesn’t help. We want people to feel confident with the vaccination,” Binay said. 

“It could have been done better,” Gatchalian added.

In an address last night, President Duterte has already ordered the PSG not to spill details on the said administration of unregistered COVID-19 vaccines before a congressional inquiry.

Likewise, the Chief Executive warned Congress "not to tinker with PSG." —KG, GMA News