Suspect in vaccine slots sale released but will face raps

MANILA, Philippines — The primary suspect in the sale of new coronavirus disease vaccines and inoculation slots may have been released from police custody but the Philippine National Police assured the public that he would be facing charges soon.

PNP chief Gen. Guillermo Eleazar said on Thursday that police investigators were still determining the specific role of 22-year-old suspect Cyle Cedric Bonifacio in the scheme.

At a press conference in Camp Crame, Eleazar confirmed that Bonifacio, who voluntarily surrendered on Wednesday to Mandaluyong Mayor Menchie Abalos, was the same person identified by the PNP Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) and the Anticybercrime Group.

“(Bonifacio) owned up to getting in touch with supposed customers, legitimate businessmen. But he said the transactions did not materialize,” the PNP chief said.

Continuing investigation

“But (Bonifacio) is claiming that he was really able to facilitate securing a vaccination slot which we are now validating. So the CIDG of the National Capital Region, as well as Mandaluyong, are on top of this investigation,” he said.

Eleazar explained, on releasing the suspect: “While it is true that we cannot arrest him, we already have information for the cases we would be filing against him. We will validate in the continuing investigation if what he’s saying is true or identify his possible accomplices in securing vaccines or vaccination slots.”

“(Bonifacio) is telling us he did not sell [the vaccine or vaccination slot] and only facilitated and received a cash reward because of that,” he said.