No conditions asked by US for PH access to COVID-19 vaccine, says DOH

MANILA, Philippines — US manufacturers developing a vaccine against the new coronavirus disease did not ask for conditions in offering the Philippines access to the vaccines, the Department of Health (DOH) said Friday.

“We have had discussions already with manufacturers from the US. No conditions were provided or given para sa atin (for us),” DOH Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire told a press briefing.

“Hindi po tayo naka-receive ng kahit anumang condition na ganito based from the discussions that we have had from the manufacturer from US, and katulad ng lagi naming sinasabi, lahat ng bakuna na papasok dito, para masiguro natin na safe ‘yan at magiging epektibo against COVID-19 and will benefit the population, has to go through our regulatory process,” she added.

(We have not received any conditions like that based from the discussions that we have had from the manufacturer from US, and like we always say, to ensure that all vaccines that will enter the country will be safe and effective against COVID-19 and will benefit the population, all has to go through our regulatory process.)

Vergeire issued this remark a day after presidential spokesperson Harry Roque speculated that President Rodrigo Duterte’s granting of pardon to US Marine Lance Corporal Joseph Scott Pemberton could be part of the chief executive’s bid to secure a COVID-19 vaccine from the US.

Pemberton was convicted for homicide in 2015 for the killing of transgender woman Jennifer Laude in 2014 and was sentenced to imprisonment from six to 10 years.

Roque had worked for the conviction of Pemberton as he served as a lawyer of the Laude family in the case.

Duterte earlier granted pardon for Pemberton, saying the US Marine was not treated fairly by the Philippines over its supposed failure to accurately compute his Good Conduct Time Allowance credits.

The President’s decision came just after critics lambasted the order of the Olongapo City Regional Trial Court Branch 74 granting an early release for Pemberton, saying he had already served the 10-year maximum of his penalty after taking into account the good conduct time allowances he accumulated while in detention.

KGA