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MANILA: The Philippine Defense Minister said on Wednesday (December 30) that unapproved COVID-19 vaccines administered to President Rodrigo Duterte’s military security detachment had been smuggled into the country, but called the move “justified. “.
News of the inoculation of the special troop unit as early as September has caused a stir among activists, and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has yet to approve any COVID-19 vaccines and there is no set timeline for when workers health would receive one.
READ: Philippine troops and ministers receive COVID-19 vaccine ahead of approval
Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana said members of the Presidential Security Group (PSG) obtained the vaccine without government authorization and administered it without their knowledge.
“Yes, they were smuggled, because they were not authorized, only the government can authorize,” he told reporters when asked if the vaccine was smuggled into the country.
“They need to explain why they violated the FDA rules.”
And he added: “It is justified … it will protect them so that they do not become infected and at the same time they can protect the president.”
READ: Philippines extends travel ban to limit spread of new strain of COVID-19 virus
On Tuesday, PSG Brigade General Chief Jesus Durante told the ANC news channel that a handful of unit members had applied a coronavirus vaccine “in good faith” and that the president was only informed afterward.
During said the unit could not afford to wait for approval. He did not say how the vaccine was obtained or which one was used.
The FDA and the Health Ministry on Monday warned against using unapproved vaccines and said importing, distributing or selling them was illegal.
Akbayan Partylist, a group of left-wing lawmakers, wept on Wednesday over what it called “VIP treatment” as local governments were scrambling for budgets to fight the coronavirus.
When asked how PSG obtained the vaccine and which one was used, Health Minister Francisco Duque said the FDA was investigating. FDA chief Rolando Enrique Domingo said his enforcement team had not yet completed its report.
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