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Philippines

The Philippines recorded +5,310 new cases, bringing the total to 1,193,976 with +150 new  deaths, bringing total 20,169 deaths.

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MANILA, Philippines — A suspect in the alleged “vaccine-for-sale” scheme in Mandaluyong City surrendered to authorities yesterday after police were able to track him down through social media.

Cyle Bonifacio, 25, appeared at the Mandaluyong City Hall at noon with his father, a barangay kagawad. He denied having connections with the local government, and distanced his father from the incident.

“I’m confident that I have no fault here and I appeared in public to end this issue. My father had nothing to do with this, I’m the only one involved here,” Bonifacio said, claiming he did not sell slots and that he merely received receipts, but refused to elaborate.

“The CIDG went to their house to ask if they knew this Cyle Bonifacio. That’s when he found out and called me to surrender his son,” Mandaluyong Mayor Menchie Abalos said at a press conference.

Mandaluyong police chief Col. Mel Unos did not disclose if Bonifacio was the person behind the viral social media screenshots, where jabs are being offered for P10,000 to P15,000, depending on the brand.

Unos said police will release more “concrete details” once charges have been filed and would probe if the vaccine-for-sale is a scam or an organized scheme involving multiple culprits.

Social media posts on the supposed sale of COVID-19 jabs and vaccination slots in Mandaluyong and San Juan circulated over the weekend, prompting several law enforcement agencies to investigate.

The Philippine National Police (PNP) yesterday said it will issue subpoenas against the persons involved in the vaccine-for-sale scheme.