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Makati City Mayor Abigail Binay and Valenzuela City Mayor Rex Gatchalian downplayed controversy over unregistered COVID-19 vaccine inoculation on members of the Presidential Security Group (PSG) on Tuesday .
Mayors said the problem has been exaggerated, if it has not distracted the nation from securing the supply of the COVID-19 vaccine.
Binay and Gatchalian were referring to the confession of Brigade Chief General Jesús During III of the Presidential Security Group (PSG) that PSG members were vaccinated with COVID-19 vaccines that have not yet been approved by the Food and Drug Administration. (FDA). During added that the vaccinations were carried out in September and October 2020.
“On a professional level, they may have an administrative responsibility. But they felt they had a moral duty to get vaccinated. It’s the same way as’ yung mga hindi naman allowed sa Pilipinas and then you go abroad, then you come back [here] because it is allowed abroad and it is not allowed here, ”said Binay, a lawyer, in an interview with the ANC.
When asked if PSG violated the rules, Binay replied: “Would it be different if they did it abroad and were vaccinated there instead of here? Of course, very technical [ang violation]. It’s not FDA approved, and non-FDA registered ones aren’t supposed to be sold or used here, but I think it’s really disproportionate. Medyo mababaw “.
Binay then said that instead of launching a Congressional investigation into said administration of illegal COVID-19 vaccine in PSG members, authorities should review the effects of said unregistered COVID-19 vaccine identified as Sinopharm by President Rodrigo Duterte. .
“We should talk about the effectiveness of Sinopharm. What are the side effects? We should check his blood (PSG members). What is the status of your IGG and IGM? Your antibodies? How did your body react? ”Binay said.
“You could also use that because it is available data. We can put it to good use, use it [PSG members] as part of their clinical trial, ”added Binay.
Sinopharm expressed its intention before conducting clinical trials in the Philippines. However, Science Secretary Fortunato Dela Peña announced in October last year that the company will no longer conduct clinical trials of the COVID-19 vaccine in the Philippines, but would still want to provide a supply of vaccines.
Philippine Ambassador to Beijing José Santiago “Chito” Sta. Romana said on Monday that Sinopharm and another Chinese vaccine manufacturer, Sinovac, will seek emergency-use approval for their COVID-19 vaccines from the FDA this week.
Gatchalian, for his part, said PSG took a calculated risk by obtaining the unregistered COVID-19 vaccine to protect President Duterte.
‘Calculated risk’
“I understand the rationale for doing so to ensure that the president is protected from physical and medical harm. There are certain risks that need to be taken, and they took a calculated risk to protect the most crucial person in the country, ”Gatchalian said in an interview with the ANC.
“I would assume it is a managed risk. I don’t think people from PSG inject themselves at random because they also have families, “added Gatchalian.
Gatchalian then said that the issue has been discussed substantially over and over again that it is time to move on.
“No matter where we look, there will be those who will say that this is a calculated risk. Others would say that this is a haphazard move that sends the wrong message. There is a more pressing issue to discuss, and that is getting the FDA to approve COVID-19 vaccines, ”Gatchalian said.
However, Binay and Gatchalian admitted that clandestine vaccination of PSG members using the unregistered COVID-19 vaccine does not help in the next unprecedented national COVID-19 vaccination program.
“It really doesn’t help. We want people to feel safe with the vaccine, ”Binay said.
“It could have been done better,” Gatchalian added.
In a speech last night, President Duterte already ordered PSG not to release details about such unregistered COVID-19 vaccine administration ahead of a Congressional investigation.
Likewise, the president of the Executive warned Congress “not to play with PSG.” —KG, GMA News
