By Christine Fabro
One of the suspects for the ‘vaccine slot for sale’ scheme should not have been included in the criminal complaint based on the appreciation of the pieces of evidence on hand, said the Philippine National Police (PNP) Chief Gen. Guillermo Eleazar in a PNP news release on Saturday (June 12).
Eleazar instructed the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) to withdraw the cases filed against Nina Ellaine Dizon-Cabrera before the Mandaluyong City Prosecutor’s Office in the soonest possible time, while the cases against Cyle Cedric Bonifacio and Melvin Gutierrez remain.
“Ang mali ay mali at hindi dapat pinaninindigan. Sa halip, ito ay itinatama upang hindi na maulit, at upang kapulutan din ng aral para maging maayos ang pagsisilbi sa taumbayan. Kagaya ng ipinangako ko kagabi, mananagot ang dapat managot kung may pagkukulang o pagkakamali na nangyari dito,” said Eleazar.
On June 7, the CIDG filed cases to the suspects in violation of the Anti-Red Tape Law of 2007, Anti-Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012, and a charge of estafa.
Read more: 3 suspek sa ‘bakuna for sale’ scheme, sinampahan na ng kaso
“Therefore, I have already ordered the relief of Police LtCol Arnold Moleta as the Chief of the CIDG Eastern Metro Manila District Field Unit for lapse in judgment and for command responsibility in the conduct of investigation,” said Elezar following the erroneous investigation.
Eleazar reassured that the incident will not affect the organization’s determination “to run after those who would dare to take advantage of our kababayan using the government’s vaccination program.”
How the controversy started
The National Task Force (NTF) Against COVID-19 first reported the illicit selling of anti-COVID-19 vaccines on May 22, involving the local government units (LGUs) of Mandaluyong City and San Juan City.
Several individuals shared on social media that they were offered slots in exchange for P12,000 to P15,000.
Both LGUs then condemned the reprehensible and downright illegal acts and said that anyone caught selling vaccines or vaccine slots to the public shall be charged in court.
Read more: NTF, PNP to probe illicit sales of COVID-19 vaccines
Malacañang reiterated that all COVID-19 vaccines being used in the country do not yet have commercial use authorization, which makes the sale of COVID-19 vaccines illegal. -rir
