Duterte’s order to PSG not to testify may only be an ‘initial’ reaction —IBP president

President Rodrigo Duterte's order to the Presidential Security Group (PSG) to keep silent over their inoculation with an unregistered COVID-19 vaccine may just be his initial response to the issue that could still change as facts are laid out, the head of the Integrated Bar of the Philippines suggested.

IBP president Domingo Cayosa made the remark on Tuesday after the President told the PSG not to testify if their officials will be summoned to the Senate to investigate the issue.

Interviewed on GMA News TV's Balitanghali, Cayosa admitted that there seems to be a disconnect between the President's remarks and his Executive Order 121, issued back in December, which essentially states that any COVID-19 vaccine must secure an authority from the Food and Drug Administration.

"Maaaring initial reaction lang niya ito but we hope and we pray that sober heads will prevail para hindi naman magkaroon ng clash ang legislative branch and executive branch," Cayosa said.

"Like in the past, eventually e alam naman nila ang batas at sila mismo ang inaaatasan ng ating Konstitusyon at ng mga batas na magpasunod," he added.

PSG commander Brigadier General Jesus Durante III earlier admitted that his unit acquired the COVID-19 vaccine for free, and that the President was only made aware that they had the PSG members got vaccinated to protect the President from the virus.

He took full responsibility on the matter, but refused to disclose the source of the vaccine.

Cayosa lauded Durante for his honesty over the issue and for readily disclosing their reasons for their vaccination.

He pointed out, though, that even inoculation of the PSG with an unregistered vaccine seemed to be done in good faith, "the objective does not justify the means."

"Pwede namang gawin yan na legal, ipadaan sa FDA. So mas maganda sana yun," he said.

Despite the President's order to the PSG, Cayosa is hoping that the FDA and the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) will be fair in doing their job to get to the bottom of the issue.

"Dapat naman maging patas ang NBI at FDA kasi yung kanilang poder ay nasa batas naman, ang kanilang responsibilidad ay nasa batas. So gagawin pa rin dapat nila ang nararapat alinsunod sa batas," he said. — BM, GMA News