PNP issues subpoenas vs. persons tagged in illegal sale of COVID-19 vaccines

The Philippine National Police (PNP) has issued subpoenas against persons behind the alleged selling of COVID-19 vaccines and vaccination slots.

In a statement on Wednesday, PNP chief Police General Guillermo Eleazar said he is invoking his power to issue subpoena "in order to further ferret out the truth on this controversy."

"Hindi katanggap-tanggap ang ganitong uri ng gawain, totoo man o hindi [This kind of activity is unacceptable, whether true or not], and I will do everything in my power as your Chief PNP upang mabigyan ng linaw ang isyung ito [to address this issue]," he said.

Last week, Eleazar tasked the  Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) to lead the investigation on the alleged illicit sale of vaccines after screenshots of the supposed "under the table" trade went viral on social media.

Under the Republic Act 10973, the PNP chief and the director and the deputy director for administration of the CIDG are given the authority to issue subpoenas in relation to the police' conduct of investigations, particularly on high-profile crimes.

One person identified

Police investigators have already identified at least one person who supposedly directly offered a vaccine and a vaccine slot to a high school friend through a social media messaging app.

The person, however, already went into hiding and has already deactivated all his social media accounts.

Eleazar urged the person to appear before his office to discuss the controversy.

"At least isang tao na ang kilala na ng PNP na sangkot dito kaya ang tamang gawin niya ay pumunta sa aking opisina upang magbigay linaw sa isyung ito. Huwag ka nang makipaglaro ng taguan sa ating mga kapulisan," he said.

(The PNP has identified at least one person linked to this and I urge that person to come to my office to explain his side.) 

LGU ordinance

Meanwhile, Eleazar voiced support to Malacañang's call for local government units (LGUs) to pass penal ordinances that would prohibit the sale of vaccination slots allotted for their constituents. He believes that such ordinances would ban the unscrupulous practice and penalize violators, serving as a deterrent.

"An ordinance that would explicitly state that COVID-19 vaccination slots are non-transferrable would be a very helpful measure to deter persons from selling or at least being tempted to sell these slots," Eleazar said.

"The ordinance can also clearly define penalties for persons who still attempt to do so as well as LGU employees who might abet them," he added.

Metro Manila mayors are set to meet Wednesday night to tackle a possible uniform ordinance against individuals who allegedly sell COVID-19 vaccines or vaccination slots.

"Magkakaroon kami ng meeting ngayong gabi, ng Metro Manila Council, at pag-uusapan namin 'yan, para uniform po 'yung magiging ordinansa na gagawin ng bawat siyudad dito sa Metro Manila," said Parañaque Mayor Edwin Olivarez, Metro Manila Council (MMC) chairperson, in an interview on Unang Balita on Wednesday morning.

(We'll have a meeting tonight and we'll try to come up with a uniform ordinance.)

—KBK, GMA News