‘Bakit di na lang lasunin?’ Sotto not laughing at memes to test vaccine on politicians

MANILA, Philippines — Whether it’s a joke or not, Senate President Vicente “Tito” Sotto III is not laughing at suggestions to inoculate politicians first with COVID-19 vaccine just to find out if it’s effective and safe.

Sotto was referring to social media memes and posts that the coronavirus vaccines’ efficacy should first be tested on politicians.

Sotto said that priority should be given to health workers and poor Filipinos once the vaccine becomes  available in the Philippines.

“Kaya hindi ako sang-ayon doon sa sina-suggest nung iba — alam ko naman pabiro ‘yong iba, pero ‘yong iba sineseryoso — dahil baka daw alanganin yong immunization o yong vaccine eh dapat daw unahin daw muna yong mga pulitiko. Hindi magandang katotohanan ‘yon, kahit totohanan o patutsada, sapagkat ba’t mo aaksayahin yong vaccine sa mga pulitiko eh libre?” Sotto said in an interview with DWIZ  over the weekend.

(That’s why I’m against what other people are suggesting — I know it may be a joke for some but some are taking it seriously — because they say the immunization or vaccine may not be safe so they want to test it first on politicians. It’s not a good suggestion, whether it’s true or not, because, why waste free vaccines on politicians?)

“Hayaan mo silang magbayad, hayaan mo yong mga pulitikong magbayad ng sarili nila. Yong mga kababayan muna nating mga health workers saka yong mga mahihirap, yon muna unahin. Libre kasi,” he added.

(Let the politicians pay. Let’s prioritize our health workers and  the poor because it’s free)

On insinuations that the vaccine should  be used to politicians so they would be the first to feel if there are side effects, Sotto had this to say: “Kung ganon ang gusto nila, eh ‘di ba’t di na lang natin lasunin ‘yong mga pulitiko para mas madali?”

(If that’s what they want, why don’t they just poison the politicians, because that’s easier to do?)

“Mas sigurado ‘yon, kaysa sa aasahan natin yong vaccine. Kawawa naman yong mga kababayan natin na kailangan yong vaccine,” he further said.

The Senate leader though pointed out that many people would have already  died in  China, United States and United Kingdom if the vaccines against COVID-19 are not fit or safe for humans.

EDV