MANILA, Philippines — Rather than target "perceived threats," the national police should go after fake vaccines which could jeopardize the inoculation program the national government hopes to roll out later this month, Sen. Nancy Binay said Thursday.
"Instead of pursuing false leads and chasing phantoms, why not just chase down syndicates that spread fake vaccines," Binay said partially in Filipino.
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She added that those who peddle counterfeit products present more of a threat to public security and health safety than teacher-volunteers being questioned for helping schoolchildren in remote barangays.
Binay was referring to what police called a "rescue operation" conducted in a Lumad bakwit school in Cebu on Monday morning, where 19 minors were taken away along with two teachers and two elders. Chilling footage of the operation posted by the Save our Schools Network showed children screaming in a classroom as they were forced out by authorities in uniform.
It is unclear what the students were being rescued from, as the teachers did not seem to be armed, nor were they holding the children against their will, as shown in the videos of the operation.
The Department of Social Welfare Services in Cebu has also disputed that the students were being indoctrinated as communist rebels, saying none of the minors mentioned "child warrior training" in their exit interviews with social workers.
"We keep saying that right now, COVID-19 is the opponent. What we need to focus on is the spread of fake vaccines and underground vaccine services," Binay said in Filipino.
"Let's just chase down those who are really breaking the law rather than those volunteers who are sacrificing to educate our young people who do not have access to education," she added in Filipino.
'Failure of intelligence'
Binay further called out the PNP, saying it failed to gather intelligence despite several reports of illegal vaccines and unauthorized inoculations in past months.
She cited a screenshot posted by Pasig Mayor Vico Sotto on Twitter on Monday that showed a seller offering 50 vials of fake Pfizer COVID-19 vaccines for P60,000. She also recalled reports that over 100,000 Chinese nationals, mostly Philippine offshore gaming operators (POGO) workers, received unregulated jabs in December.
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"There is a failure of intelligence here because in October there were reports of illegal vaccines spreading in the market.... but the sale of fake vaccines and operations of underground clinics continues," Binay said in Filipino.
"It should be incumbent upon law enforcement agencies like the PNP, the [National Bureau of Investigation], or even the Bureau of Customs, to put a high premium on vaccine safety and continue to go after 'sham' clinics, and syndicates making counterfeit products," she added.
"Government must make sure that fake and illegal vaccines do not proliferate in the local market."
'Work double time' to arrest sellers of fake vaccines, DILG tells PNP
The Department of Interior and Local Government on Thursday also called on the PNP to be vigilant and "work double time" to arrest peddlers of fake vaccines, citing reports of their circulation in the market.
In a statement released to reporters, Undersecretary Bernardo C. Florece, DILG officer-in-charge, said that local government units and the PNP must be on top of the hunt and arrest illegal peddlers of fake COVID-19 vaccines.
"Some people are taking advantage of the pandemic to make money by selling fake vaccines," Florence said.
"I am directing the PNP to arrest these criminals and ensure that these bogus vaccines are taken off the market."
— Bella Perez-Rubio with reports from Franco Luna