HEADLINE: MANILA Philippines- Suspect in illegal sale of vaccine surrenders
A health worker holds a vial of the AstraZeneca/Oxford’s Covid-19 coronavirus vaccine inside a Catholic church turned into a vaccination centre in Manila on May 21, 2021.
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COVID-19 infection crosses 169.04 million globally as deaths cross 3.51 million.
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Here is the GLOBAL status as of Thursday, 7am, May 27, 2021
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Sick Earth: 1 Year, 6 Months, 27 Days
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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.
“In order to further ferret out the truth on this controversy, I am invoking the power given to me by the law as the Chief PNP to issue subpoena against the persons involved in the alleged sale of COVID vaccines and vaccine slots,” PNP chief Gen. Guillermo Eleazar said in a statement.
He confirmed that police investigators have already identified at least one person who directly offered a vaccine and vaccine slot to a high school friend through social media. It is unclear if he was referring to Bonifacio.
Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) chairman Benhur Abalos said Bonifacio could be charged with swindling, bribery and corruption of a public officer or the Bayanihan Law, depending on the findings of probers.
“We are warning (everyone involved in such schemes): it is illegal to sell slots or vaccines. You will be imprisoned. For those who want to get vaccinated and cut through the priority list, you too will be imprisoned,” he said.
Uniform ordinance
The Metro Manila Council is looking into passing a uniform ordinance prohibiting the sale of jabs or vaccine slots, according to MMC chairman and Parañaque City Mayor Edwin Olivarez.
He maintained that vaccines are given free to the public and are not for sale, because these have been approved for emergency use only.
In Pasay City, Mayor Imelda Calixto-Rubiano urged city residents to report anyone selling their vaccine schedule, while the Taguig City government condemned the modus of “heartless individuals.”
Manila recently passed an ordinance prohibiting any individual or business from selling COVID-19 vaccine or deducting its price from an employee’s salary. – Emmanuel Tupas, Ghio Ong
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