Palace vows no graft in vaccine purchase

MANILA, Philippines — Health authorities tasked to study potential COVID-19 vaccines won’t allow any form of bribery, Malacañang said yesterday following reports that Chinese firm and vaccine frontrunner Sinovac had bribed regulators to secure approvals.

The Washington Post reported last week that Sinovac – one of the companies negotiating with the Philippines for the possible supply of COVID-19 vaccine dosages – has “acknowledged” a bribery case involving its chief executive officer.

The CEO had claimed that he could not refuse demands for money from a regulatory official, the report said.

One of the statements cited by the report was a 2016 trial testimony, wherein Sinovac’s founder had supposedly admitted giving bribes from 2002 to 2011 to an official reviewing vaccines.

Presidential spokesman Harry Roque said President Duterte is confident that the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) would be able to perform its functions properly.

“We are consistent in saying that we will only allow the use of vaccines that are proven to be safe and effective against COVID-19,” Roque said at a press briefing.

“The President has complete trust in Doctor Domingo so when it comes to allegations of bribery, I don’t think it will happen in the Philippines,” Roque added, referring to FDA director-general Eric Domingo.

The health department has given assurances that the expert panel that would examine COVID-19 vaccines would look into the allegations against Sinovac.

Roque said Sinovac may be the first vaccine to be distributed in the Philippines, which has logged more than 443,000 COVID-19 infections. The rollout of the vaccine is expected to start within the first quarter of next year.

“The target remains that Sinovac will be the first that we can use to vaccinate our people and it will be in the first quarter of next year,” Roque said.

Roque said vaccine doses from Pfizer would come in the second and the third quarter of 2021, noting an agreement brokered by Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin, Jr. and US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo. The government is also planning to buy vaccine doses from United Kingdom’s AstraZeneca.

“I did not lie ever. We are not having difficulties. But the truth is, the rich nations have cornered the supply. But we have ways (to buy vaccine doses). The President would find it unacceptable if we fail to gain access to vaccines,” Roque said.

“And I think (vaccine czar) Secretary (Carlito) Galvez (Jr.) will take the cue from the President to do anything and everything that is necessary so Filipinos will have a vaccine,” he added.

Asked to confirm reports that he had already been vaccinated, Roque said, “Ay naku hindi pa po (Oh my, not yet).”

The Department of Health (DOH) said COVID-19 cases nationwide have soared to 445,540 with 1,383 cases logged yesterday.

According to DOH, 91.8 percent or 409,058 of the total cases have recovered from the infection. The number included additional 133 recoveries.

Based on DOH data, 6.2 percent or 27,781 of the total cases are active, with 92.2 percent of them mild and asymptomatic.

Quezon City posted the highest number of new cases with 83 followed by Laguna with 75 and Manila with 68. Bulacan ranked fourth with 65 followed by Davao City with 61.

Additional 24 deaths brought to 8,701 the total number of COVID-related fatalities. Those who died comprised 1.95 percent of the total COVID-positive individuals nationwide.

Health Secretary Francisco Duque reminded the public to continue observing minimum health protocol as the risk for them to contract COVID remains high.

“We cannot relax because of the news of vaccines. We still have to sustain strong health measures even when the immunization against COVID-19 in our country begins. Otherwise, we might undo all the progress we’ve made over the past months,” Duque said in a statement.

“Your cooperation, all the same, is greatly needed to win this fight against the pandemic,” he pointed out. — Christina Mendez, Mayen Jaymalin