ILOILO City – It is illegal to sell coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccines or vaccination tickets or slots, Mayor Jerry Treñas warned the public. A friend of his was approach by one such ticket seller, he revealed.
The dismayed mayor ordered the Iloilo City Police Office (ICPO) to conduct an investigation. He also sought the help of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) and the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG).
His friend was approached by the seller at the University of San Agustin’s gymnasium which was one of the city government’s vaccination sites, according to Treñas.
“Kay kun wala, kag gusto ko, pwede sia kuno ka provide in exchange for P3,000,” the mayor quoted his friend as telling hm.
Anti-coronavirus jabs being used by the city government are free; these are donations to the national government.
Treñas hoped sellers of vaccination tickets or slots, or the COVID-19 vaccine itself would be caught and prosecuted.
“Sampolan naton para madudla gid,” Treñas stressed. “Criminal cases will be filed.”
Police Colonel Uldarico Garbanzos, ICPO director, told Panay News he had deployed additional uniformed and non-uniformed (intelligence) operatives to the city’s vaccination centers (University of San Agustin, Ateneo de Iloilo, Central Philippine University, and Iloilo Convention Center).
“Tanan ini free. Wala ini ginabaligya. Halin sa paghatag sang ticket asta sa paghatag sang vaccination, wala sang bayran,” Garbanzos stressed.
He appealed for help from the public so that sellers would be arrested.
“Damo pa vaccination rollouts nga matabo so we will tighten our monitoring,” said Garbanzos.
On the other hand, Police Colonel Gervacio Balmaceda Jr., chief of CIDG Region 6, said the public should immediately seek police assistance when sellers approach them.
The police, he said, recognizes the government’s efforts in vaccinating the community following the prioritization framework.
In Manila recently, Malacañang urged local government units (LGUs) to pass ordinances that punish individuals involved in the illegal sale of vaccines and slots.
“Para malinaw po na mayroon tayong legal na basehan para parusahan ang mga taong gumagawa nito,” said Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque.
COVID-19 vaccines cannot be sold because these are not cleared for commercial use, he explained.
“Wala pang bakuna na covered ng commercial use authorization. Hindi pupuwedeng ibenta dahil lahat po ng mga bakuna ay nasa experimental use authorization pa lamang,” according to Roque.
The Philippine government has approved for emergency use at least seven brands of COVID-19 vaccines./PN
