Department of Justice (DOJ) Secretary Menardo Guevarra opposed President Rodrigo Duterte, who threatened to arrest those who did not want to be vaccinated, saying that no law requires a Filipino to be vaccinated.
“As a lawyer, he knows that not getting vaccinated is a legal choice; there is no law as yet that compels vaccination against COVID-19, much less criminalizes it (not getting vaccinated), as presently available vaccines are still in their trial phases,” said Guevarra.
But he also defended the President, saying that he could only use bold words to convey the desire to get everyone vaccinated.
“I believe that the President merely used strong words to drive home the need for us to get vaccinated and reach herd immunity as soon as possible,” he explained.
Guevarra reminded that although it is not a crime not to get vaccinated, anyone who violates quarantine protocols can be arrested.
No law forcing individual to get vaccinated – DOJ
“Getting vaccinated is not mandatory, but complying with health protocols is mandatory. There is no law or ordinance that penalizes non-vaccination, but there are existing laws and ordinances that penalize non-compliance with health protocols,” he added.
President Rodrigo Duterte threatened that those who will refuse to receive COVID-19 vaccine would be arrested.
“Don’t get me wrong, there is a crisis being faced in this country, there is a national emergency. Kung ayaw mong magpabakuna ipaaresto kita, at ang bakuna itusok ko sa pwet mo,” Duterte said in his weekly Talk to the Nation.
“Don’t force my hand into it. Kung hindi kayo magpabakuna, umalis kayo sa Pilipinas. Go to India or America. But as long as you are here and you are a human being who can carry the virus, magpabakuna ka. ‘Pag hindi, ‘yung ivermectin na para sa baboy ang patira ko sa’yo,” Duterte added.
The President said he felt “exasperated” hearing reports of some Filipinos refusing the free COVID-19 vaccines provided by the government.
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