PNP warns: Fake vax cards could land you in jail

The Sacred Heart Parish Shrine in Kamuning, Quezon City, serves as the vaccination area for A1-A5 priority groups to receive their 2nd dose of Astrazeneca COVID-19 vaccine. Niño Jesus Orbeta/Philippine Daily Inquirer

MANILA, Philippines — Those who will be found faking or using fake COVID-19 vaccination cards will be charged, fined, and will spend at least a month in jail, the Philippine National Police (PNP) said Saturday.

PNP chief PGen. Dionardo Carlos said the falsification of vaccination cards is an offense under Republic Act 11332 or the Mandatory Reporting of Notifiable Diseases Law.

“If you are caught falsifying, tampering, or using a fake vaccination card, you will be slapped with penalties including a P20,000 to P50,000 fine or imprisonment of one to six months, or both,” said Carlos.

Carlos made the statement after stricter policies were introduced to limit the movement of the those unvaccinated amid the exponential rise in COVID-19 cases.

“Since more local government units are now under stricter restrictions, chief executives may opt to implement the ‘no vaccination, no entry’ policy in establishments or entry points, including checkpoints,” Carlos added.

These stricter policies may force some desperate unvaccinated persons to get fake vaccination cards.

According to Carlos, the PNP has access to an electronic verification system to check if a person is already vaccinated through the database of the respective LGUs or the Health Department.

Just recently, the Department of Transportation also released an order prohibiting unvaccinated individuals from boarding public utility vehicles in Metro Manila.

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