(Surigao del Norte Rep. Robert Ace Barbers’ Office / FILE PHOTO / MANILA BULLETIN)
Barbers said he found it “laudable” that some 300 members of the PSG decided to inoculate themselves with the anti-COVID vaccine that had reportedly been donated to them.
“Pabor ako na una sila (PSG) because sila ang frontliner ng Pangulo kaya dapat lang na mauna (I favor them being prioritized because they are the President’s frontliners, so it’s only proper that they are the first),” said the solon, chairman of the Committee on Dangerous Drugs.
Despite this, Barbers still expects the PSG to participate in an inquiry – should the House call for it – regarding the circumstances behind the vaccines, which the lawmaker suspects are smuggled goods.
(Surigao del Norte Rep. Robert Ace Barbers’ Office / FILE PHOTO / MANILA BULLETIN)
“I believe his inaction showed gross insensitivity toward the Filipinos who have been afflicted with COVID-19 as well as the relatives of nearly 9,000 who have died from the disease,” said the solon, chairman of the House Committee on Dangerous Drugs.
Duque has drawn a lot of flak for his failure to work on the documentary requirements in securing local supply for the Pfizer vaccine, which has been deemed 95 percent effective in its Phase 3 trials.
The Philippines was on track to receive 10 million doses of the particular vaccine by January, but Duque reportedly didn’t accomplish the needed Confidentiality Disclosure Agreement (CDA) on its deal with the United States.
(Surigao del Norte Rep. Robert Ace Barbers’ Office / FILE PHOTO / MANILA BULLETIN)
This as Barbers–the longtime chairman of the House Committee on Dangerous Drugs–questioned the kind of effort that went into the ICC report.
“While the ICC’s Office of the Prosecutor calls its information browsing as ‘reasonable basis,’ the report seems more like a propaganda against President Duterte, who enjoys the satisfactory rating and support of more than 91 percent of the Filipinos based on the latest survey,” the congressman said.
According to the report released Tuesday, there is “reasonable basis” that crimes against humanity took place in the conduct of Duterte’s war on drugs. These crimes allegedly include “murder, torture, and the infliction of serious physical injury and mental harm.”
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