THE Presidential Security Group has agreed to submit a list containing the names of personnel who have been vaccinated with unregistered COVID-19 vaccines.
Aside from submitting the list of vaccinated PSG men, the chief of the military unit serving as security detail of President Rodrigo Duterte, also agreed to submit a monthly monitoring report seen to determine the vaccine effects to those who “administered vaccination among themselves.”
PSG commander Brig. Gen. Jesus Durante said that they would be closely monitoring their men for any adverse effects which may happen following the unsanctioned immunization using unregistered COVId-19 vaccines smuggled into the country.
Health Sec. Francisco Duque earlier sought for PSG cooperation as he emphasized that what the guards did was dangerous.
For the nth time, Duque insisted he “never knew anything about the activities of the PSG” with regard to the vaccination.
“First and foremost, it’s dangerous to do that. I just want to be emphatic about it. You don’t know, is this the real vaccine?” he was quoted in an earlier interview over a television public affairs program.
“The fact that it didn’t go through the regulatory, scientific evaluation by the government agencies such as the FDA (Food and Drug Administration), DOST (Department of Science and Technology) vaccine experts panel? It’s the danger that it might bring to those who received the vaccines is our utmost concern,” he said.
Durante earlier said “a handful” of PSG personnel vaccinated themselves with a drug he did not name. He said inoculations began in September and the last batch was finished in October.
Being the chief of a military unit with a marching order to protect the President, also owned up the responsibility over the unsanctioned vaccination, adding that the President was unaware that his guards received the vaccine until after it was done.
The FDA has yet to approve any drug against COVID-19, and Defense Sec. Delfin Lorenzana said what the PSG used was “smuggled.” However, he said the early inoculation of members of the presidential guards was “justified.”
The Armed Forces of the Philippines called off its investigation into the matter after Duterte told the PSG to withhold information about it if called to a congressional inquiry.