SENATE President Vicente ‘Tito Sotto III warned Malacañang and the Department of Health (DOH) that their reported plan to impose ‘mandatory vaccination’ on all Filipinos is sure to draw protests for violation of the people’s civil rights.
“Last time I heard we are still a democracy. Kung ayaw ng kababayan natin…bakit mo pipilitin,” Sotto said during a media interview last November 6, 2021.
“If mandatory, what will the government do if people still do not want to be vaccinated? Will the government put them in jail?
“Eh punong-puno nga yung Bilibid (National Penitentiary in Muntinlupa City). Punong-puno nga yung BJMP (Bureau of Jaila Management and Penology). Ano ang gag.awin ninyo ngayon? I-etsa-pwera (exclude) ninyo sila?
“Hindi sila pwedeng pumasok sa ganito, hindi sila puwede sa ganyan, hindi pwedeng ganoon, gagawin ninyo? Oh, di wala na yung civil rights natin,” Sotto pointed out further.
Mandatory vaccination is being pushed by some in President Duterte’s circle of advisers, primarily, businessman Joey Concepcion.
Although clearly violative of civil rights, most shopping malls and restaurants are now demanding from their patrons a copy of their full-vaccination cards and requiring face shields before they are allowed entry or allowed to dine in restaurants inside the malls, such as SM malls.
Sotto said the government is “sure” to be questioned should it pushes thru with mandatory vaccination. “Sigurado, siguradong maku-kwestiyon yun. Pinaka magandang diskarte, information-dissemination,” he added.
Over the mandatory wearing of face shields, Sotto also bewailed that the lawmakers’ appeal to do away with it has fallen on deaf ears.
“… Wala namang sinunod ang IATF (Inter-Agency Task Force) sa mga rekomendasyon namin eh. Noon pa, sinasabi ko na, yung face shield walang pakinabang yan, tayo lang ang gumagamit sa buong mundo, ipinilit nila….
“… Kaya kung tatanungin ako tungkol sa mga diskarte ngayon nila (IATF), eh diskarte nila yun, bahala sila, hindi naman kami pinakikinggan eh.”
Sotto added that rather than spending billions in government funds for the procurement of assorted medical items from Chinese producers as shown in the ongoing Senate investigation on the Pharmally scandal, the money should have been better used in providing free COVID-19 tests to the poor.
“Dapat yung inubos na pera doon sa kung kanino-kaninong kumpanya ng China, dapat… ibinuhos, diyan sa PCR, swab, antigen, ganoon, kaya libre dapat yan.
Isang kababayan natin, kinakabahan, uubo-ubo, punta kaagad sa barangay, icheck, di ba? Libre dapat… Isipin mo yun, tatlong libo? Aba, ang bigat noon. Yung limang daan, ang bigat sa kababayan natin, tatlong libo pa?”
In the same interview, Sotto, who is the running mate of Sen. Panfilo Lacson in the 2022 presidential election, said both of them are unfazed over the possibility of Davao City mayor, Sarah Duterte teaming up with former senator Ferdinand ‘Bongbong/BBM’ Marcos who is eyeing the presidency like Lacson.
“Hindi namin iniintindi kasi (we are not bothered).
“Sabi ko nga, July pa nung magdesisyon kami ni Sen. Lacson…Mula noon, we don’t really care who else is running.
“Basta kami, nag-meet kami sa taong bayan…Hindi namin iniintindi kung sino ang tumatakbo, kahit magpalitan pa sila, basta yung programa namin ang importante sa amin, at kami, ino-offer namin sa tao…
“It does not matter kung sino yung (ibang) tumatakbong presidente, sinong tumatakbong bise-presidente, does not matter to us. We will keep on campaigning, and we will keep on telling the people what we stand for, what we have done, and what they can look forward to,” Sotto said.