Palace: Not against the law to receive COVID-19 vaccine sans FDA approval

Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO / JOAN BONDOC

MANILA, Philippines — It is not against the law to be inoculated with a COVID-19 vaccine that has not been registered to regulators, Malacañang said Monday after reports that some military personnel and Cabinet members have already been vaccinated against the disease.

“Unang una po, hindi po ipinagbabawal ng batas natin ang magpaturok nang hindi rehistrado. Ang bawal po ‘yung distribution at pagbebenta. So ito naman po ay tinurok sa mga sundalo na pumayag,” presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said in an online briefing.

(First of all, it is not against the law to be inoculated with a vaccine that is yet to be registered. What’s illegal is the distribution and the sale. This was inoculated to soldiers who gave their consent.)

President Rodrigo Duterte himself bared that several military personnel already received China’s Sinopharm COVID-19 vaccine.

Interior Secretary Eduardo Año also confirmed that some Cabinet members and Presidential Security Group personnel were already inoculated with a COVID-19 vaccine.

“‘Wag niyo naman po ipagkait sa ating mga sundalo na magkaroon sila ng proteksyon. Tanggapin na lang po natin na importante na yung ating mga kasundaluhan, ‘yung ating mga bantay sa ating seguridad ay ligtas na sa COVID nang magampanan nila ang kanilang mga trabaho,” Roque said.

(Let us not deny our soldiers of protection. Let’s accept their importance and that the guardians of our security are safe from COVID so that they can perform their role.)

Asked how the vaccines received by soldiers were acquired, Roque said it is likely that these were donated though he was unsure from whom it came from.

“Ang pagkakaalam ko, wala pong bayad yan,” said Roque. “Dahil hindi po ‘yan binayaran, it must have been donated. Hindi ko po alam kung sino po ang nag-donate.”

(From what I know, it’s free. Since it’s free, it must have been donated. I don’t know who donated these.)

Roque also surmised that the inoculations of military personnel were decided by their commanders.

“This must have been made by the soldiers. And probably by the commanders kasi hindi naman po yan makakarating sa sundalo kung walang go signal ng mga commanders,” Roque said when asked if the President authorized the vaccination.

(This must have been made by the soldiers. And probably by the commanders because it will not reach the soldiers without the commanders’ go signal.)

No COVID-19 vaccine has been authorized for use by the Philippines’ Food and Drug Administration.

JPV