This file photo shows Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles during the Pandesal Forum on Tuesday, February 4, 2020, in Quezon City. Noy Morcoso/INQUIRER.net File
MANILA, Philippines — President Rodrigo Duterte is only trying to protect people unvaccinated against COVID-19 when he ordered the restriction of their movement in their communities.
This was the explanation of Cabinet Secretary and acting presidential spokesperson Karlo Nograles when he was asked about the refusal of the president’s daughter, Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio, to enforce sanctions against those who have not received COVID-19 vaccines.
Duterte-Carpio said unvaccinated people should not be discriminated against since vaccination is not yet mandatory, therefore, people still have a choice whether to get inoculated or not.
“Of course, we respect the opinion of Mayor Inday Sara Duterte. On the other hand, the President is only trying to protect the unvaccinated from harm,” Nograles said in a Palace briefing Tuesday.
Nograles cited data that shows unvaccinated people have a high risk of contracting severe or critical COVID-19. Thus, he stressed, anti-coronavirus vaccines could help them avoid such risk.
“As father of the nation, the President is only trying to protect the unvaccinated and this is for the common good,” he added.
President Duterte earlier directed barangay captains to identify unvaccinated people in their communities, restrain them from going out of their residences, and arrest them if they refuse to abide.