Lacson, Romualdez tried COVID-19 vaccine before mid-September—Sotto

Senate President Vicente Sotto III on Monday stood by the story he heard that two of his colleagues in Congress already tried a COVID-19 immunization shot several weeks ago, before mid-September.

In an online interview, Sotto said he attended a meeting in Malacanang on September 16 and heard House Majority Leader Martin Romualdez telling the story to President Rodrigo Duterte about him and Senator Panfilo Lacson being immunized to the novel disease.

"Hindi ko alam anong klaseng vaccine ang ginamit pero sila ni Congressman Martin Romualdez sinubukan nila 'yung immunization vaccine, 'yun ang pagkakaalam ko," Sotto said.

"Kasi si Martin Romualdez ang nagkukwento kay President noong nandoon ako... Napagkwentuhan lang kasi kinwento nga ni Martin na sila daw nila Ping nagpa-injection ng immunization, sinubukan, parang ganoon," he added.

However, he said is not knowledgeable whether it was done inside the country or not.

Asked if Romualdez was just kidding, he said: "Presidente kausap niya eh. Ewan ko... Siya tanungin ninyo kung nagbibiro siya."

Lacson, on the other hand, hinted that him getting immunized to COVID-19 might only be a joke.

Nevertheless, Sotto believes Lacson and Romualdez are not liable for anything if it was true that they tried getting immunized.

"Wala akong nakikitang violation," Sotto said. "Like for example gusto kong barilin ang binti ko, makukulong ba ako kung binaril ko ang binti ko kung lisensyado ang baril ko?"

Amid reports of Lacson and Romualdez being able to access COVID-19 vaccines, the Department of Health reiterated that none has been approved yet in the country.

It warned manufacturers, suppliers, and distributors that there are laws against distribution of products not registered with the Food and Drug Administration.

"Sabihin mo sa DOH asikasuhin nila ang trabaho nila, huwag nila pakialaman ang mga senador at mga congressman," Sotto told reporters.

"Bakit ba pinapakialaman ninyo ang mga senador at mga congressman? Kami [ang] puwede makialam sa kanila, DOH sila eh," he added.

Sotto, nonetheless, said he would rather not get any COVID-19 vaccine shot if there are indeed available options now to do so.

"Kahit anti-flu at anti-pneumonia takot ako eh, anti-COVID pa? Mag-iingat na lang ako muna unless 100% sure na okay na," he said.—AOL, GMA News