President Rodrigo Duterte warned those selling COVID-19 vaccines offered by the government.
Duterte will immediately sue those caught selling it.
“Again, let me reiterate to everyone: The COVID-19 vaccines given by the government are not for sale. They are given to our poor people for free. Not only to the poor but to the rich, so they opt to have vaccinations in the vaccination centers,” Duterte said.
“Huwag ninyong gawin ‘yan kasi… Nagwa-warning lang ako, huwag ninyong gawin. Kagaya ng droga, huminto kayo. So do not press your luck too far. You might regret it,” he added.
Duterte said this following the arrest of a nurse and medical technologist selling the Sinovac vaccine for P2,000 for two doses.
It will be recalled that the Department of Health and the Philippine National Police have also issued a warning in this regard.
Authorities have also reported previous incidents of the sale of vaccine slots in San Juan and Mandaluyong.
Pasay City Police arrested a 35-year-old woman Wednesday afternoon after allegedly using the name and ID of a nurse to sell the vaccine against COVID-19.
Also read: Supply of COVID-19 vaccine in some cities limited
Duterte warns COVID-19 vaccines sellers
The real nurse, Dayrelle Esteban, 35, met the suspect alias Mich in the entrapment operation at a restaurant in Pasay City.
Esteban handed the suspect P50,000 a downpayment to purchase more than 50 vaccines for P110,000 or more than P2,000 per vaccine.
According to Esteban, Mich offered him vaccines from Pfizer, AstraZeneca, and SinoVac, and a downpayment is needed to release the stock.
The supply allegedly came from a private hospital in Makati and a government hospital in Quezon City.
Meanwhile, the Philippine National Police also mentioned that they are working with the Food and Drug Administration and the National Bureau of Investigation, and the Department of Health to stop the illegal sale of the vaccine.
The PNP also said that they had not received any information about other groups committing this act so far.
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