Duterte to Acosta: ‘Kung ayaw mo magpabakuna, ikaw na lang’

President Rodrigo Duterte on Monday took a swipe at Public Attorney's Office (PAO) chief Persida Acosta over the vaccination of children against COVID-19.

"For those who are against the vaccination of our children, including PAO chief Persida Acosta, kung ayaw mong magpabakuna, ikaw na lang. 'Wag mo na idamay ang mga bata [if you don't want to get vaccinated, that's your choice. Leave the children out of it]," Duterte said in his weekly Talk to the People.

"This is a suggestion coming from two Cabinet members," he added.

Earlier, a petition was filed before the Quezon City Regional Trial Court to stop the health department from vaccinating children aged 5 to 11 against the coronavirus.

The petitioners, parents of children aged 5 to 11, were represented by the PAO.

Acosta, who has refused to get the COVID-19 vaccine, said the parents want to stop the inoculation of their children to protect them from "undue experimentation."

Petitioners Dominic Almelor and Girlie Samonte said they did not file the petition to "purposely denigrate" the Duterte administration's efforts in trying to control the pandemic, but to "guide him in saving the lives of Filipino children."

The respondents named in the petition are Health Secretary Francisco Duque III, Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire, and the Department of Health.

In a joint statement, the DOH and the National Task Force Against COVID-19 said it is the right of the individuals to file a case.

However, they maintained that the vaccination rollout will continue.

The pilot rollout of the COVID-19 vaccination for 5 to 11 years old in the country began in Metro Manila on Monday.

The national rollout will start on February 14.

At the briefing, Duterte urged parents to have their children vaccinated against the virus.

"'Yung mga bata ngayon dapat mabakunahan talaga [The children must be vaccinated] for them to survive, for they constitute the next generation of Filipinos," Duterte he said.

"It is very important that you bring your children to vaccination sites and have them vaccinated." — BM, GMA News