Gordon wants those involved in PSG vaccination investigated, penalized

Published January 04, 2021 02:45 PM By DONA MAGSINO,GMA News

Those behind the supposed COVID-19 immunization of some members of the Presidential Security Group (PSG) using an unregistered vaccine must be punished, Senator Richard Gordon said Monday.

"Kaya tayo may law na ganyan para proteksyunan ang tao pero if the very protectors of the President and the people are doing that, that's wrong. That's the wrong way of doing it and therefore they should be investigated and penalized," Gordon said in an interview on GMA News TV's Balitanghali.

"Walang excuse diyan eh. Kaya tawag diyan sa mala prohibita, parang baril 'yan, mere possession is illegal. Huli ka na agad... Bakit naman kayo magpapakauna-una, 'di pa naman napapayagan 'yan?" he added.

On Sunday, Gordon said PSG commander Brigadier General Jesus Durante III should consider resigning from his post in the face of the controversial inoculation of his troops.

Durante had taken full responsibility on the issue and admitted that the vaccines used were donated upon PSG's request.

He, however, refused to disclose the source of the vaccine.

What if it's just a flu vaccine?

Senate President Vicente Sotto III, meanwhile, said Durante should be invited in a separate hearing separate

from the one to be conducted by the Committee of the Whole on January 11 for the vaccine rollout plan of the government.

"The original question of the hearing is 'Bakit wala pa tayong vaccine? Kailan at paanong i-distribute at paano storage?' Samantalang ang issue nila, 'Bakit meron vaccine ang iba?' Baka next time if we need to," Sotto said in a message to reporters.

The Senate leader also posed a hypothetical question regarding the immunization of the PSG.

"How are they sure [na] anti-COVID 'yung ginamit at hindi anti-flu?" Sotto asked. "Di ba? Paanong nalaman ni PRRD na anti-COVID 'yun? May lab report? Sinong lab?"

"Eh kung anti-flu pala 'yun? Illegal ba 'yun?" he added.

President Rodrigo Duterte previously said some members of the military were already injected with a COVID-19 vaccine made by Chinese firm Sinopharm sans approval from the Food and Drug Administration.

The Armed Forces of the Philippines confirmed that soldiers who are part of the PSG were the first ones who got vaccinated against COVID-19, "owing to the nature of their mission and function."

But a group claiming to be the sole distributor of Sinopharm's COVID-19 vaccine in the Philippines has denied involvement in the inoculation of the PSG members.

Earlier in the day, the Department of Health warned doctors that they could lose their license if proven that they participated in the administration of unregistered COVID-19 vaccines.

Durante, meanwhile, claimed that the PSG administered the vaccines themselves. — RSJ, GMA News

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