MANILA, Philippines — New People’s Army (NPA) rebels can only get vaccinated against the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) once it becomes available if they will lay down their arms for a while and let the military vaccinate them, President Rodrigo Duterte said.
“Ang mga NPA, papabakunahan ko ba? If you stop fighting for a while during the period or until December, kasi my soldiers will be busy monitoring, supervising, ‘wag lang niyong galawin, puwede kayong sumali, pumila doon,” Duterte said in a taped address aired Friday.
(The NPA, will I vaccinate them? If you stop fighting for a while during the period or until December, since my soldiers will be busy monitoring, supervising, just don’t fight them, you may join and line up for the vaccine.)
But Duterte noted this does not mean there is a unilateral ceasefire, but only “a matter of humanity.”
“As a matter of humanity, cause it is not our money and because you are a Filipino, sabihin ko sa military, palusutin na ninyo,” Duterte said.
(As a matter of humanity, cause it is not our money and because you are a Filipino, I will tell the military to let you get vaccinated.)
“Post-COVID na tayo mag-away ulit. Hindi ito unilateral ceasefire. I am just telling you, stop it and allow the normal process of helping the country,” he went on.
(Let’s just return to fighting after COVID. This is not a unilateral ceasefire. I am just telling you, stop it and allow the normal process of helping the country.)
Duterte said he wants the military to lead the COVID-19 vaccination once it becomes available.
Poor families receiving aid from the government, middle-income earners, and uniformed personnel will be prioritized in getting the COVID-19 vaccine, Duterte said.
The President also expressed optimism that things will go “back to normal” by December as he felt confident that China will give the Philippines priority should it produce a vaccine against COVID-19.