De Lima concerned with DILG asking for list of unvaxxed residents

Detained senator Leila de Lima on Friday raised alarm over the directive of the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) to barangays to submit a list of unvaccinated residents in their areas.

According to De Lima, this order could be abused by local authorities.

"I have serious concerns on DILG’s directive for barangays to make a list of the unvaxxed, as it has high potential for privacy rights and other human rights violations, especially given how this administration weaponized so-called ‘drug lists’ as ‘Tokhang lists,’” she said.

“I echo the constant call of CHR (Commission on Human Rights) to always infuse respect for human rights in all pandemic-related policy decisions,” De Lima, former chairperson of the rights body, said.

Interior Undersecretary Jonathan Malaya earlier said Interior Secretary Eduardo Año issued the order in line with restricting the movement of people who have yet to be vaccinated against COVID-19, which was ordered by President Rodrigo Duterte.

When inventory is already available, Malaya further said barangays can now implement the restrictions on unvaccinated people through an ordinance.

The senator, a staunch critic of Duterte and his policies, said the last thing the people need is for the Chief Executive to resort “to threatening people with arrest as if they are incapable of understanding social responsibility and could only respond to threats of harm and violence.”

“Ang nakalulungkot, kung kailan kailangan nating magkaisa ay saka pa magsasalita ang Pangulo nang padalos-dalos, by recklessly ordering the arrest of the unvaccinated who leave their houses,” de Lima said.

(What's sad is that at the time we need to unite, the President will recklessly order the arrest of the unvaccinated who leave their houses.)

“Sige nga? Saan mo dadalhin ang mga aarestuhin mo? Sa siksik na mga kulungan na hindi mo inintindi nitong huling anim na taon, tulad ng pagpapabaya mo sa ating public healthcare system?” she asked.

(Where will you detain those who will be arrested given that detention cells are overcrowded, and you didn't even address this in the last six years?)

She said Duterte should not resort to threats or violence to hide his failures in mass testing, contact tracing, and address issues on vaccine hesitancy.

"This is not a ‘war’ against an enemy that can be defeated by violence. This is a fight for survival that can only be won by unity,” the senator said. — Anna Felicia Bajo/RSJ, GMA News