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Zarate slam's Duterte's 'militaristic' threat to arrest those refusing COVID-19 vaccine


Bayan Muna party-list Representative Carlos Isagani Zarate on Tuesday slammed the “militaristic solution” of President Rodrigo Duterte who threatened to arrest individuals who will refuse to get vaccinated against COVID-19.

In a press statement, Zarate stressed that the real issue is the lack of vaccine supply in the country.

“Sa totoo lang ang hahaba ng mga pila para sa bakuna ng LGUs at kailangan pa ngang mag-turn down sila sa dami ng gustong magpabakuna, pero kulang talaga ang supply nito sa ngayon. May mga reports pa na palakasan din sa deployment ng available supply ng vaccine at mukhang pagkupit ng bakuna lalo na ng Pfizer," Zarate said.

(There have been long lines of those individuals who want to get vaccinated, however, some LGUs are turning them down because of low vaccine supply. There were also reports about the alleged 'favoritism' on where the vaccine will be deployed.)

"Palpak na nga, tapos hihirit na naman na ipakulong daw ni Pres. Duterte ang ayaw daw magpabakuna. Another militaristic solution na naman ito. Gusto ng mga Filipinong magpabakuna ang sistema niyo ang mabagal at palpak kaya lalong tumatagal,” he added.

(The vaccine rollout is already a failure but the President only resorted to threatening those who don’t want to get vaccinated that they will be arrested. This is another militaristic solution. Filipinos want to get inoculated however the government’s inoculation process is very slow.)

On Monday night, Duterte warned that those who will refuse to be vaccinated may face arrest, saying that the country is still under national emergency.

Zarate said the administration’s “flip-flopping stand” on the face shield issue was just “to camouflage its inept vaccine roll-out."

"Seemingly, the Duterte administration wants to deflect and camouflage the issue of its palpak, inefficient, slow and inequitable vaccine roll out," Zarate said.

Duterte had said wearing of face shields remain mandatory after government officials had varying statements on the issue. -MDM, GMA News

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