Sen. De Lima files Senate probe on early COVID-19 vaccination

Opposition Senator Leila M. de Lima has called for a Senate probe into the reported early vaccination of select members of the Cabinet, the Presidential Security Group (PSG), and the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) using unregistered and smuggled coronavirus disease (COVID-19) vaccines.

In filing Senate Resolution (SR) 603, De Lima underscored the need to ascertain who smuggled the vaccine, who distributed them to select public officials, and how they were able to do so outside government regulations.

She stated that the early vaccination of these senior officials with unregistered and unvetted vaccines constitutes endangerment not only to themselves but also to national security.

De Lima stressed that Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana admitted that illegal means were undertaken for President Duterte's close-in security to be vaccinated ahead of everyone else with unlicensed drugs.

While Lorenzana said the PSG has to explain to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for violating the country's regulatory laws, he defended their action by saying that it was "justified" because they supposedly did it to effectively carry out their duties.