Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Undersecretary Epimaco Densing III announced today that they have issued show-cause orders against certain local government unit (LGU) officials for having themselves inoculated with Covid-19 vaccine, jumping ahead of those on the priority list.
Among them are five mayors:
1.Tacloban City Mayor Alfred Romualdez (vaccinated on March 22, 2021)
2. T’boli, South Cotabato Mayor Dibu S. Tuan (vaccinated on March 19, 2021)
3. Sto. Niño, South Cotabato Mayor Sulpicio Villalobos (vaccinated on March 19, 2021)
4. Legazpi City, Albay Mayor Noel Rosal (vaccinated on March 16, 2021)
5. Bataraza, Palawan Mayor Abraham Ibba (vaccinated on March 22, 2021)
The local chief executives who received the show-cause orders from the DILG have been given three days to reply and give their explanation.
“Nasa A1 [priority list] palang ‘ho tayo, ‘yung frontline healthcare workers, sila ang inuuna. Kaya lang, minsan hindi sumisipot ‘yung healthcare worker so kailangan may substitution plan,” Usec. Densing told PTV News in a phone interview.
“So gusto nating tingnan kung naaayon sa substitution plan ‘nung nagpa-bakuna sila. Hindi naman natin sila hinuhusgahan, baka katanggap-tanggap ang kanilang mga paliwanag,” he added.
The DILG will endorse the cases to the Office of the Ombudsman for filing of administrative cases if violations are found to have been committed.
Tacloban City Mayor Alfred Romualdez, who was inoculated with CoronaVac, has said he is willing to face the consequences of his action. He reiterated that he volunteered and had himself vaccinated in public to boost confidence in the vaccination program, as many of their healthcare workers were hesitant to avail of the Chinese-made vaccine.
Meanwhile, Densing appealed to the local chief executives to wait for their turn on the priority list.
“Napag-desisyunan po na susundin ang priority sectors na inilatag ng World Health Organization (WHO), dahil marami po tayong bakuna na libre na galing sa COVAX facility, at ‘pag hindi po natin sinunod po ‘yan, maaaring mawala itong mga bakuna na naka-allot sa Pilipinas,” Densing explained.
“Ang ating local chief executives specifically governors, mayors, barangay captains, napa-aprubahan na na kayo’y masama sa A4 priority list,” he added.
Densing said his office is verifying other reports of local chief executives who also jumped the priority queue in the vaccination program.
–Patrick de Jesus
