NBI extends probe to gov’t officials who OK’d PSG inoculation

MANILA, Philippines — The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) will also go after government officials who gave the green light for the controversial inoculation of President Rodrigo Duterte’s close-in security detail with a vaccine for COVID-19 not yet authorized by local regulators.

“If we have enough evidence, then definitely yes,” NBI spokesperson Ferdinand Lavin said over ABS-CBN News Channel on Monday when asked if investigators from the bureau will also go after officials who gave the go signal for the vaccination.

Lavin said NBI investigators will inquire from those who had approved of the inoculation if they knew whether the vaccines used were not locally registered.

“‘Yung sa importer, clearly it is a tariff and customs code. It being unregistered or under consideration ng FDA (Food and Drug Administration), that is with the FDA. Doon sa pagbakuna, kung alam nila, do they know na hindi ‘yan registered, maybe the persons involved or who gave the go signal, we will have to know from them,” he said.

He also assured that the NBI investigation will be conducted independently, despite earlier comments from other Palace officials regarding the vaccination.

“We will do our investigation regardless of the comments that have already been made,” said Lavin.

“We do not want to speculate here but again we will just do our job. Where the evidence will lead us, then we will conclude this investigation with the appropriate recommendation,” he added.

President Rodrigo Duterte earlier bared that some military personnel were already inoculated with a vaccine against COVID-19 developed by China’s Sinopharm.

Those who received the shots were later confirmed to be members of the Presidential Security Group (PSG). PSG commander Brig. Gen. Jesus Durante III later said members of Duterte’s security detail administered the COVID-19 vaccine among themselves, without the help of a medical professional.

Interior Secretary Eduardo Año also later revealed that a member of the Cabinet was likewise inoculated with a COVID-19 vaccine from China.

Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana pointed out that the vaccines administered to some members of the PSG were smuggled as the local FDA has not authorized its use.

Malacañang, however, said the anti-graft law was not violated when PSG members were inoculated with donated COVID-19 vaccines as these were only “tokens” without “much value.”

EDV