Bar unvaxxed PAO chief from work, gov’t told
PAO Chief Public Attorney Persida Acosta (FILE PHOTO)
MANILA, Philippines — While she has the right to refuse vaccination, Chief Public Attorney Persida Acosta has no right to endanger the health and lives of others, Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon said on Wednesday.
“Acosta is putting the life, health and safety of her coworkers in danger and that should be dealt with accordingly and decisively,” Drilon said in a statement.
Drilon said that he found it “unacceptable” that while the government is persuading people to get their COVID-19 shots, Acosta has refused to be vaccinated.
Acosta has said that she has opted not to be vaccinated because of her age and health concerns.
But Drilon said it was Acosta’s recent statements that could fuel the vaccine hesitancy that authorities were trying to address.
While vaccine acceptance has improved in the country, Drilon said the number of Filipinos unwilling to get vaccinated remains a cause of concern, especially when one of them is a high-ranking government official.
“Acosta can make a good case study for the government. If you can convince Acosta to get vaccinated, then the government has a better chance of persuading every Juan dela Cruz to get vaccinated,” he said.
“But until she gets vaccinated, she should be barred from reporting to work,” Drilon said.
Use as example
He said that if the government is serious about its “no vax, no ride policy,” it should apply it to all or “it will not work,” the senator said.
“The government should take the same hard-line stance against their own officials. Set an example with Acosta,” he said.
Drilon said barring Acosta from reporting to the Public Attorney’s Office was consistent with the President’s pronouncements that he will restrict movement of unvaccinated individuals “for the common good.”
The opposition leader defended the government’s vaccination program, as well as the restrictions it imposed on the movement of people, as a “valid exercise of police power to promote the health, safety and general welfare of the people.”
