Malacañang said Thursday the Philippines’ top choice for a COVID-19 vaccine is still China’s Sinovac despite the firm’s “bribery history.”
“Consistent po tayo na papayagan lang nating magamit ang mga bakuna na napatunayan nang ligtas at mabisa laban sa COVID-19,” Roque told reporters.
(We are consistent that we will only allow vaccines that have been proven to be safe and effective against COVID-19.)
“So pagdating po diyan sa mga allegations on bribery, tingin ko po ay hindi mangyayari iyan sa Pilipinas.”
(So when it comes to allegations of bribery, I think that will not happen in the Philippines.)
Roque added the “target remains that Sinovac will be the first that we can use to vaccinate our people, and it will be in the first quarter of next year.”
Regulators in the Philippines are validating reports accusing Chinese firm Sinovac of a “bribing history” to get fast approval of its vaccines, Health Secretary Francisco Duque III said Wednesday.
A Washington Post reported that Sinovac’s founder and chief executive Yin Weidong admitted in 2016 that the company bribed regulatory authorities in China for $83,000 from 2002 to 2011 to hasten their vaccines’ approval.
China’s Sinovac still PH’s number one choice for vaccine – Palace
The Vaccine Expert Panel (VEP) under the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) already approved Sinovac.
Washington Post also reported that at least 20 government officials and hospital administrators admitted they accepted bribes from Sinovac employees from 2008 and 2016 in their testimonies in court.
“We are aware of what is happening. Part of the work is for the VEP to assess the veracity of such report, kung merong katotohahan nito,” Duque said in an online forum.
The DOH chief said that aside from the VEP, the Ethics Board and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) would also study the reports alleging the Chinese firm’s bribing history.
A potential COVID-19 vaccine supplier would need to get the VEP, Ethics Board, and FDA’s approval before their vaccines could be released in the Philippines.
“That is why they (regulatory agencies) are there para masigurado natin na ‘di tayo mabibiktima ng mga questionable transactions ng Sinovac, kung totoong nangyayari po ‘yan,” Duque added.