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PSG ready for probe, legal repercussions of unauthorized COVID-19 vax —Durante


The Presidential Security Group (PSG) expressed readiness Wednesday to face any probe as it takes full responsibility for any legal repercussions of administering unauthorized COVID-19 vaccines to its personnel.

PSG commander Brigadier General Jesus Durante III said they are aware of the repercussions when they did the vaccination.

“We took the risk. We will take full responsibility for it kung ano man 'yang legal opinion na pinagsasabi,” Durante said in an interview on Super Radyo dzBB.

“We know the repercussions kaya nga sabi ko na bago namin ginawa 'yan we know what is at stake and we weighed all factors involved,” he added.

Durante said they ready for any investigation.

"We are ready for any investigation for that matter. We weighed the risks, alam namin ang mangyayari," he said.

The Food and Drug Administration, Bureau of Customs, and National Bureau of Investigation are now conducting their respective probes on the matter.

The FDA said that the vaccination of some military members has breached the regulatory process as the vaccines used are not registered yet with the agency.

Philippine laws prohibit the manufacturing, importation, exportation, sale, distribution, and non-consumer use of unregistered products, according to FDA.

Durante said the selected PSG personnel who are always with President Rodrigo Duterte received their first dose of the vaccine in September and the second those in October. He said they have yet to observe any side effect of the vaccine.

"Lahat ng nabakunahan walang side effect," he said.

Asked who administered the vaccine, the PSG chief said "kami kami lang."

Durante said he requested the unauthorized vaccines for free. He has been refusing to disclose the source of the vaccines. But he said the source could be a person, a company or a State.

He said that there was no bribery or even favors involved with the source of the vaccines.

“Wala pong public funds na involved dyan. Kung anuman ang sabihin nila, kung ‘yan ay donasyon, kung 'yan ay bribery—no,” he said.

“At walang kapalit ito. No transactions, no deals involved or no favors whatsoever. It is one-sided,” he added.

Under the Republic Act No. 3019  or the Anti-Graft And Corrupt Practices Act, requesting gift, present, share, percentage, or benefit is considered a corrupt practice for public officers.

The Section 3 enumerated sanctionable corrupt practices for public officers.

“In addition to acts or omissions of public officers already penalized by existing law, the following shall constitute corrupt practices of any public officer and are hereby declared to be unlawful:

…(b) Directly or indirectly requesting or receiving any gift, present, share, percentage, or benefit, for himself or for any other person, in connection with any contract or transaction between the Government and any other part, wherein the public officer in his official capacity has to intervene under the law.

(c) Directly or indirectly requesting or receiving any gift, present or other pecuniary or material benefit, for himself or for another, from any person for whom the public officer, in any manner or capacity, has secured or obtained, or will secure or obtain, any Government permit or license, in consideration for the help given or to be given, without prejudice to Section thirteen of this Act.

The anti-graft law stated violating public officers or even private persons shall be punished with imprisonment for not less than one year nor more than ten years, perpetual disqualification from public office.—AOL, GMA News
 

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