Palace spokesman Harry Roque
Malacañang on Monday denied that the government had a hand in the alleged Covid-19 vaccine reception of two lawmakers.
“Kung mayroon hong ibang mga tao na nakapagbakuna na, hindi po iyan galing sa gobyerno,” Palace spokesman Harry Roque told reporters in a media briefing.
Senate President Vicente Sotto III on Nov. 21 said that Senator Panfilo Lacson and House Majority Leader Martin Romualdez had been injected with Covid-19 vaccines similar to that developed by Pfizer, which was found 95 percent effective in late stages of clinical trials.
“Si Senator Lacson, ang tapang. Immunized na ‘yun, nagpa-injection na ‘yun. Nauna na siya. Sila ni Martin Romualdez…parang pareho sa Pfizer,” Sotto said.
Sotto said Lacson, a 72-year-old, told him that he felt as if he was “30 years old” after receiving the vaccine shots.
“He feels daw like he is 30 years old. Tapos bihira na nga mag-mask, eh. Dati makikita mo ‘yun naka-mask, naka-face shield. Immunized na siya,” Sotto said.
Responding to reports of the two lawmakers receiving the vaccines, Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire cautioned against receiving unregistered Covid-19 vaccines.
“Paalala po sa mga manufacturers, suppliers, distributors, may batas laban sa pamimigay at pagbebenta ng kahit anong bagay o technology, kasama na ang bakuna, na walang rehistro ng ating Food and Drug Administration,” she said.
President Rodrigo Duterte earlier approved the emergency use of Covid-19 vaccines to speed up the process of vaccine authorization in the country. John Ezekiel J. Hirro