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JUSTICE Secretary Menardo Guevarra emphasized Monday that anyone who voluntarily gets vaccinated with the unregistered anti-Covid-19 vaccine cannot be held criminally liable under existing laws.
However, Guevarra stressed that it would be better to enforce laws on approval, distribution and administration of vaccines for the safety of recipients.
“Under our current laws, a person who freely and voluntarily inoculates with an unregistered or unauthorized drug or vaccine will not incur any criminal liability, unless he himself has caused its illegal obtaining or promotes its use by other people”, Guevarra pointed out. .
“While vaccination is a matter of personal survival, it is important that the laws on approval, distribution and administration of vaccines are strictly observed for the benefit of all,” added the chief justice.
For those behind the smuggling and distribution of unregistered Covid-19 vaccines, Guevarra assured that they can be held criminally liable under the law.
Guevarra issued the statement amid reports that there were at least 100,000 Chinese POGO (Philippine offshore gaming operators) workers who had already received injections of unregistered Covid-19 vaccines.
The Department of Health (DOH) said it is now coordinating with the Food and Drug Administration, the National Bureau of Investigation and the Customs Office to investigate the matter.
Guievarras issued a departmental order on December 28, directing the NBI on the import, sale, offer for sale, distribution, administration and inoculation of Colvid-19 vaccines that are not authorized or registered with the Food and Drug Administration.
Guevarra ordered the NBI to press charges, if the evidence justifies it, against those responsible for the illegal act.
