Duterte reiterates: Refuse vaccines, you will surely die

MANILA, Philippines — President Rodrigo Duterte reiterated that an individual who will refuse to get vaccinated against COVID-19 will die due to the infection.

During his taped address to the nation aired Tuesday, Duterte said that those who are hesitant for an anti-COVID shot may find their names on the Civil Registrar and be labeled dead.

“Kung hindi ka talaga magpabakuna and you want to still mix with the humanity, lalo na ang election o itong mga rallies na dikit-dikit tayo, kung ikaw until now, ayaw mo pa, okay lang. Pero ‘yung pangalan mo dadating ‘yan doon sa Civil Registrar pati kay Secretary [Eduardo] Año,” he said.

(If you don’t want to get vaccinated and you still want to mix with humanity, especially during elections or rallies wherein it is crowded, if you do not want until now, it’s okay. But your name will be in the Civil Registrar and with Secretary Año.)

“Alam niyo bakit? Kayong mga hindi magpabakuna, mamatay kayo sigurado ‘yan… ‘Yang sinasabi ko na ang pangalan mo magpunta doon sa Civil Registrar pati kay Secretary [Francisco] Duque, kasi ang Civil Registrar tatlo lang ang lista diyan: kailan ka nag-anak, kailan nag-asawa, kailan ka namatay,” he added.

(You know why? Those of you who are unvaccinated, you will all surely die… What I’m saying is that your name will be on the Civil Registrar and Secretary Duque, it’s because the Civil Registrar lists three things: when you were born, when you were married, and when you die.)

The chief executive said that those unvaccinated who will die will become a part of the government’s statistics.

“Doon ka sa statistics. Ang pangalan mo could be part of the statistics of government, sino ‘yung namatay nitong araw na ‘to. Kung gusto niyo umabot diyan, okay lang, walang problema,” said Duterte.

(You will be in the statistics. Your name could be part of the statistics of the government, who died today. If you want to reach that point, it’s okay, no problem.)

Duterte last year even quipped to vaccinate reluctant individuals while asleep. He has repeatedly warned people to get vaccinated or they are at risk of dying.

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JPV