More vaccine line-jumper execs to get show cause orders —DILG

Seven more mayors and a councilor will receive show cause orders for getting inoculated against COVID-19 ahead of the prioritized sectors, the Department of the Interior and Local Government said Friday.

Interviewed on CNN Philippines, DILG Undersecretary Epimaco Densing III said these local government officials have to explain and justify their vaccination.

“If the approval of our OIC comes out today, we have another 8 to release—seven mayors and one councilor,” Densing said.

The show cause orders are expected to be issued on Friday, he added.

According to Densing, the DILG has verified that the seven mayors and councilor received COVID-19 vaccines.

On Thursday, at least five mayors were given show cause orders for getting COVID-19 vaccines ahead of those on the priority list.

Densing III said show cause orders were issued to the following mayors as of Tuesday:

• Mayor Alfred Romualdez of Tacloban City, Leyte
• Mayor Dibu Tuan of T’boli, South Cotabato
• Mayor Sulpicio Villalobos of Sto. Nino, South Cotabato
• Mayor Noel Rosal of Legazpi City, Albay
• Mayor Abraham Ibba of Bataraza, Palawan

Some mayors defended themselves saying that they only want to convince the public to get inoculated with COVID-19 vaccines.

If the violations were confirmed, Densing said the DILG will forward the complaint to the Office of the Ombudsman to decide on the sanctions that will be imposed on the mayors.

Based on the prioritization set by the national government, the vaccination rollout in the country will start with frontline health workers, followed by indigent senior citizens, persons with comorbidities, remaining senior citizens, remaining indigent population, and uniformed personnel. —LBG, GMA News