Presidential Security Group (PSG) commander Brigadier General Jesus Durante III admitted Wednesday his team asked for a donation of unregistered and unauthorized COVID-19 vaccines.
Durante told ANC that the donated vaccines which were not registered to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and not cleared by the Bureau of Customs (BOC) were administered to some members of the PSG for free.
“Because we asked for it. We requested for it,” Durante said.
Asked about the anti-graft law prohibiting this practice, the PSG chief said: “I can’t answer that question.”
Section 3 of Republic Act No. 3019 or the Anti-Graft And Corrupt Practices Act states the following are the sanctionable corrupt practices for public officers:
“In addition to acts or omissions of public officers already penalized by existing law, the following shall constitute corrupt practices of any public officer and are hereby declared to be unlawful:
PSG chief admits requesting unregistered COVID-19 vaccine donations
…(b) Directly or indirectly requesting or receiving any gift, present, share, percentage, or benefit, for himself or for any other person, in connection with any contract or transaction between the Government and any other part, wherein the public officer in his official capacity has to intervene under the law.
(c) Directly or indirectly requesting or receiving any gift, present or other pecuniary or material benefit, for himself or for another, from any person for whom the public officer, in any manner or capacity, has secured or obtained, or will secure or obtain, any Government permit or license, in consideration for the help given or to be given, without prejudice to Section thirteen of this Act.
Durante said that nobody approached PSG to get the supply of unauthorized vaccines, noting it was his decision.
“We know how to take risks. We know how to face all of these risks. And one of that is the vaccine in fighting this pandemic. So at any costs I have to get that weapon. That is my call. That is an independent call of PSG and that is the call of my command,” he said.