Duterte amid Omicron threat: I may agree if IATF makes vaccination mandatory

President Rodrigo Duterte on Monday night said he might agree with the Inter-Agency Task Force if it decides to make COVID-19 vaccination mandatory in the country.

Duterte made the remark amid the threat of the Omicron COVID-19 variant.

"I may agree with the task force if they decide to make it mandatory (vaccination). It's for public health. Now, kung ayaw mo, 'wag kang lumabas," he said in his weekly Talk to the People.

"It's actually to protect public health... In some countries mandatory na, dito maingay ang human rights," he added.

Duterte also said he can compel Filipinos to get vaccinated "under the police power of the state."

Interior Secretary Eduardo Año suggested imposing strict vaccination rules.

"Hindi natin ima-mandatory but at least, we'll make it harder for them to live while there's a pandemic. It's because of mutations, kung hindi ma-achieve ang herd immunity," Año said.

He said there are several local government units in the country who are declaring vaccination mandatory.

"Actually, we are encouraging them. Number one is Mayor Chavit Singson, nag-announce siya sa bayan niya hindi na welcome ang mga unvaccinated... diyan lang sa bahay unless mayroong negative RT-PCR," he said.

Año also cited that through Section 16 of the Local Government Code, a local chief executive can issue an ordinance to protect constituents, and that "is considered legal unless stopped by the court."

"So habang may pandemic, 'yon pong sa mga labor, talagang dinesign natin 'yang policy na 'yan para mapilitan magpa-vaccine mga laborers," he said.

"Kung sagutin natin puro RT-PCR lang, parang walang effect ang policy natin, parang namihasa lang po sila," he added.

Duterte, meanwhile, quipped about using a gun to kill the Omicron variant.

"Ako, gusto kong patayin 'yan kaya lang hindi ko malaman kung saan ko... Gusto kong barilin ang buang na yan," he said.

Malacañang earlier said it is closely monitoring developments on the Omicron variant that is believed to be more transmissible.

The World Health Organization has classified the Omicron as a variant of concern.

The origin of the variant is currently unclear but South African scientists were the first to announce the discovery on November 25.

The Philippines has placed several countries under the red list until December 15 in efforts to prevent the spread of the variant.—LDF, GMA News