COVID-19 vaccines of PSG probably donated – Año

The COVID-19 vaccines administered to Duterte’s Presidential Security Group (PSG) were probably donated, said Interior Secretary Eduardo Año on Tuesday, noting that distributing such drug in the Philippines is not yet approved.

Año was not sure if the vaccines given to the PSG were from the Chinese drugmaker company Sinopharm.

ADVERTISEMENT

“For the PSG soldiers, mostly those who are protecting the President. And let’s make it clear no: These vaccines are probably donated by someone who has access to that particular country. There has been no commercial distribution, more on voluntary on the part of the soldiers,” Año told ANC.

However, it was President Rodrigo Duterte and his spokesperson Harry Roque who confirmed that some soldiers received experimental from Chinese firm Sinopharm.

On Monday, Año revealed that Cabinet members were also given the COVID-19 vaccines. However, he clarified late that he only knew one Cabinet official who received the vaccine.

ADVERTISEMENT

“First of all, I would like to correct myself. I only know just one member of the Cabinet. I cannot disclose his identity because I don’t want to violate his right to privacy,” he said.

COVID-19 vaccines of PSG probably donated – Año

Año insisted that giving vaccines to the PSG and the Cabinet member is not illegal since it was voluntary. He added the COVID-19 vaccine is already used in the country where it came from.

“There’s no need for approval of that. You know, these vaccines have EUA in the originating country and if somebody will try that for personal consumption, I don’t see any conflict,” Año said.

ADVERTISEMENT

“It’s voluntary on the part of these officers and this Cabinet official. Voluntary ‘yan eh. Hindi naman ‘yan distribution, selling… Parang ano lang ‘yan, if you have relative from abroad and he has access and he sent you one,” he added.

Meanwhile, the Bureau of  (BOC) revealed Tuesday that the imported COVID-19 vaccines given to the Presidential Security Group () did not have any formal communication to their agency. It added those involved could be facing civil and administrative cases if the vaccines were proved to be smuggled.