Tolentino challenges Duque: Get first shot of possible COVID-19 from Wuhan

MANILA, Philippines — Senator Francis Tolentino on Tuesday dared Health Secretary Francisco Duque III to get the first shot of the possible COVID-19 vaccine being developed in Wuhan, China.

“Mas mainam pa nga siguro Secretary, ikaw iyong maunang nagpaturok, kaya napilitan siguro si Presidente dahil hindi ka nag-volunteer,” Tolentino made the challenge to Duque during a Senate Committee of the Whole hearing regarding the anomalies within the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth).

(I think it would be best, Secretary if you are the first to be inoculated with the vaccine. I think that’s why the President volunteered because you were not game enough.)

Tolentino was referring to President Rodrigo Duterte’s previous pronouncement that he would immediately try out the vaccine being developed by Russia.

“Willing ka mauna? Yung Wuhan vaccine, may lalabas ngayon galing sa Wuhan, willing ka ba magpaturok sa Wuhan?” Tolentino further asked Duque.

(Are you willing to be vaccinated? The Wuhan vaccine, they will release a vaccine. Are you willing to be vaccinated?)

But Duque did not give a straight answer to Tolentino’s question, saying: “Padadaanin po natin iyan sa proseso ng ating regulatory FDA (Food and Drug Administration) para sigurado po tayo na alinsunod sa kaligtasan, de kalidad at epektibo ng mga bakuna na ito, lalo na kung bago mayroon pong risk.”

(We will let that go through our regulatory FDA, to be sure that this is safe and effective, especially that there are risks.)

“Let me remind you Mr. Secretary that your dilly-dallying and semblance of evasion in answering the question is probably reflective of your non-bravery being the field marshall of this pandemic war,” Tolentino then told Duque.

During the hearing, Duque told Tolentino that the government was considering the following vaccines: Moderna from the United States, Sputnik V from Russia and another one from China.

Previously, Palace spokesman Harry Roque said that Phase 3 of clinical trials of Russia’s COVID-19 vaccine will be from October 2020 to March 2021.

“Sa dinami-dami po ng mga may vaccines ngayon, papaano po napili kung sino po iyong  mga mauuna?” Tolentino then asked Duque on the selection process of vaccines and other medicines that are being tested in the Philippines against COVID-19.

(Of the many vaccines that are being tested, how do you choose what will be picked first?)

“Sinisigurado ko po sa inyo, Mr. Secretary, next year the same date, August 2021, magkakaroon naman po tayo ng imbestigasyon dito sa Senado ang pag uusapan natin bakit ito yung vaccine na napili at sino yung nabigyan ng vaccine,” he added.

(I am making sure, Mr. Secretary, that next year the same date, August 2021, we will have an investigation and we will talk about how the vaccines you chose and who were inoculated with it.) [ac]