President Rodrigo Duterte announced that members of the military received unauthorized COVID-19 vaccine.
After that, Interior Secretary Eduardo Año’s clarified the announcement. He revealed that that Cabinet and Presidential Security Group members received a COVID-19 vaccine from Sinopharm.
Because of this, celebrities and journalists took to Twitter to express their reaction to the news.
Firstly, social media personality Macoy Dubs expressed his disdain over the revelation.
https://twitter.com/macoydubs1/status/1343453911244390400
Then, singer-musician Kean Cipriano wrote that he isn’t buying into the government statement condoning the unauthorized vaccine distribution.
Not buying this BS https://t.co/QwNU37bXfx
— Kean Cipriano (@keancipriano) December 28, 2020
Then, Pia Magalona called for the public to inquire into the unauthorized vaccine distribution.
Bakit tayo pumapayag sa ganito’ng HARAP-HARAPANG PANLILINLANG ng mga KINAUUKULAN??
BAKIT OK LANG ITO SA INYO?? #Pilipinas @UN @IntlCrimCourt @DOHgovph https://t.co/hwwddc2TpC
— Pia Magalona ⁷ (@piamagalona) December 28, 2020
Finally, award-winning filmmaker Jun Robles Lana posted a photo with a caption inferring what he would have felt if he was the health worker administering the unauthorized vaccine.
Kung ako yung health worker na nautusang tukuran sila ng vaccine bago ang sambayanan pic.twitter.com/hUa75jxQUG
— Jun Robles Lana (@junrobleslana) December 28, 2020
Journalists also reacted to the revelation.
Firstly, Reporter Raffy Tima wrote about the possibility of smuggling in terms of procurement of the unauthorized vaccine.
AFP confirms Presidential Security Group personnel vaccinated with non-FDA approved Sinopharm Covid-19 vaccine most likely smuggled in from China.
— Raffy Tima (@raffytima) December 28, 2020
Then, entertainment reporter MJ Felipe asked the public for their opinion about the revelation.
O ha! Say nyo? https://t.co/7bpO7k4ipI
— MJ Felipe (@mjfelipe) December 28, 2020
Reporter Kevin Manalo expressed his disbelief that the government involved itself in smuggling the unauthorized vaccine.
Ang takeaway dito:
Government is involved in smuggling vaccines?!
Unbelievable. https://t.co/4zE3RfYrbB
— Kevin Manalo (@kevinmanalo_) December 28, 2020
Finally, journalist and foreign correspondent Barnaby Lo slammed the government’s failure to procure vaccines and noted that the parties involved violated the law when they smuggled the unauthorized vaccine.
They failed to procure vaccines for the public so they smuggled some for themselves. Law enforcers breaking the law because they can. https://t.co/BhoFgQOlKj
— Barnaby Lo 吳宗鴻 (@barnabychuck) December 28, 2020
In related news, the Department of Health and the Food and Drug Administration warned the public about the dangers of receiving any unauthorized vaccine.
Additionally, the FDA expressed that they don’t have any liability for the adverse effects that individuals may encounter from the unauthorized vaccine.
