Vaccinated PSG personnel showed no side effects – AFP chief

MANILA, Philippines — Members of the Presidential Security Group (PSG) previously inoculated with the COVID-19 vaccine have not shown adverse side effects, Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) chief Lt. Gen. Cirilito Sobejana said yesterday.

“I am happy to report that among the PSG members, no one showed any adverse side effects. They are all in good health. We assume that the vaccine they received was effective,” he said in a mix of English and Filipino during an interview on One News’ “The Chiefs.”

This month, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) granted the PSG a compassionate permit for the use of 10,000 doses of Sinopharm’s COVID-19 vaccine, months after President Duterte’s security detail admitted to vaccinating some of its members even without government authorization.

The AFP chief added that the military aims to vaccinate about 25 percent of its forces, mainly frontliners involved in medical or security support operations in the delivery, transport and vaccination program.

Sobejana maintained he will not be among the AFP’s 25 percent to get vaccinated, but said that he will get his jab in due time.

Crackdown

Meanwhile, Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) officer-in-charge Undersecretary Bernardo Florece Jr. yesterday ordered the Philippine National Police (PNP) to intensify operations to arrest individuals selling and administering fake COVID-19 vaccines.

“Some people are taking advantage of the pandemic to make money by selling fake vaccines. I am directing the PNP to arrest these criminals and ensure that these bogus vaccines are taken off the market,” Florece said in a statement.

The DILG issued the directive after Pasig City Mayor Vico Sotto posted a screenshot on Twitter of a seller offering 50 vials of supposed COVID-19 vaccine from Pfizer-BioNTech for P60,000.

Sen. Nancy Binay likewise appealed to the PNP to go after syndicates and criminal groups manufacturing and selling fake vaccines instead of focusing on “perceived threats.”

“Instead of spending time questioning innocent individuals, pursuing false leads and chasing phantoms, why not go after the syndicates that spread fake vaccines,” Binay stressed.

“We keep saying that right now, COVID-19 is the enemy… Let’s just go after those who are really breaking the law,” Binay said. – Emmanuel Tupas, Cecille Suerte Felipe