PSG chief: Personnel vaccinated as early as September sans Duterte nod

President Rodrigo Duterte looks on as Presidential Security Group (PSG) Commander Colonel Jesus Durante III takes the podium for a speech in this file photo taken during the PSG Change of Command ceremony at the PSG Compound in Malacañang Park, Manila on February 25, 2020. REY BANIQUET / PRESIDENTIAL PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines — The Presidential Security Group (PSG) did not ask President Rodrigo Duterte’s permission for the vaccination of some of its personnel against COVID-19 that happened as early as September, its Commander Brig. Gen. Jesus Durante III said Wednesday.

“We didn’t ask permission. So we just informed him about it after all of the close-in security was vaccinated,” Durante said in an interview over ABS-CBN News Channel when asked if they sought Duterte’s permission in vaccinating their personnel.

“He [Duterte] was surprised. Asking the same questions as you do. And I’m answering the same questions, the same answers,” he added.

Durante disclosed that the PSG personnel, with the help of their medical team, administered the vaccines among themselves.

The close-in security personnel who were inoculated already received two doses of the vaccine, he also said.

“For those vaccinated, yes,” Durante said when asked if two doses were already administered to the PSG personnel. “Since October. Started actually September and the last batch was October.”

“Everybody is aware actually that most countries have acquired vaccines. Some of them are developing. That was one of our bases. So we came up with that based on the experience of other nations. We did some research about it,” he added.

Despite fierce criticisms from lawmakers and several groups, Malacañang said there was no violation of the anti-graft law when PSG received the vaccines because these were only “tokens” and no public funds were used for it.

Neither Malacañang or PSG, however, disclosed where the vaccines came from but said that these were “donated.”

JPV