Solon wants instant sanction vs. officials 'jumping" COVID-19 vaccination list

Quezon City Representative Precious Hipolito Castelo on Friday said issuing show cause orders against those officials who have "jumped" the priority list in the government's vaccination program against COVID-19 is not enough.

"Show cause orders and citations of law or rules are not enough. We should have instant sanctions for vaccine queue jumpers and those with command responsibility for violations to set the example for all concerned and the general public,” Castelo said in a statement.

According to Castelo, it is only through imposing swift penalties on violators that the national government can send a message that it is serious in enforcing health measures in this time of pandemic.

“As it is, there is the perception that only the small fry like localized lockdown breakers are caught and penalized instantly, while 'pasaways' in high places get away with infractions,” she said.

For Castelo, the reason of the local officials that they got vaccinated as "substitutes" for healthcare workers who were absent or who refused the vaccine is unacceptable.

"That’s just an alibi. There are many doctors, nurses, other medical practitioners, and hospital personnel who are willing to take the vaccine to protect themselves from the virus and continue attending to patients," she said.

The Department of the Interior and Local Government has said more mayors and even a councilor would get show cause order after getting vaccinated ahead of those in the priority list.

DILG Undersecretary Epimaco 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 their action, saying that they got inoculated as they want to help in convincing the public to get vaccinated against COVID-19.—AOL, GMA News