Gatchalian hits local chiefs, actor who got COVID-19 vaccines ahead of priority list

Senator Sherwin Gatchalian on Thursday took a swipe at some local chief executives and a celebrity who already received COVID-19 vaccines ahead of those in the priority list.

In a text message shared with reporters, Gatchalian said the vaccination of these individuals should be investigated and those who will be found guilty should be punished right away.

"I don't buy the reason of 'they did it for the people' or to build confidence of the people to vaccines because the people will not have access to vaccines till July! The only qualified people as of this point are medical frontliners," he said.

According to Gatchalian, there are nurses in his hometown of Valenzuela City who contract COVID-19 everyday because they have to perform the swab tests for patients.

City officials would also plead the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF) everyday to vaccinate these medical frontliners as they are highly exposed to infection, he added.

"It's really unfair to them that there are artistas and public officials who jumped ahead of the line to save themselves. Naging palakasan na naman ang pagbabakuna," Gatchalian said.

The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) had issued a show cause order to five local chief executives for receiving COVID-19 vaccines ahead of those in the priority list.

These include Mayor Alfred Romualdez of Tacloban City, Leyte; Mayor Dibu Tuan of T’boli, South Cotabato; Mayor Sulpicio Villalobos of Sto. Nino, South Cotabato; Mayor Noel Rosal of Legazpi City, Albay; and Mayor Abraham Ibba of Bataraza, Palawan.

DILG Undersecretary Epimaco Densing III said these mayors have to explain their inoculation which may have violated the Anti Graft and Corrupt Practices Act.

Densing likewise called out the vaccination of actor Mark Anthony Fernandez against COVID-19 in Parañaque City despite not being part of the priority list.

Senate President Vicente Sotto III said that since these mayors are under the jurisdiction of the DILG, "they should answer to the department."

Senator Francis Pangilinan, for his part, said the solution to address the skipping of the line for COVID-19 vaccination is to increase the supply of vaccines and fast-track the vaccination

"Kung sapat ang supply at mabilis ang pagbakuna hindi kakailanganin ang unahan. 'Yan ang pagi-gihan ng DOH and IATF (If there is enough supply of vaccines and the vaccination pace is fast, then there's no need for a race. The DOH and the IATF should consider that)," he said.—AOL, GMA News