Law needed to make COVID-19 vaccination mandatory – DOJ

James Tayongtong has only been a staff member in the mayor’s office in General Mariano Alvarez, Cavite,, for two months.

Because he is a newcomer, he still does not have a schedule to be vaccinated against COVID-19.

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But Tayongtong admitted that he was skeptical of the vaccine even though he was hit by COVID-19 recently.

Earlier, President Rodrigo Duterte threatened to dismiss government employees who do not want to be vaccinated.

Duterte believes that the state has the power to make vaccination mandatory for everyone.

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In a statement, Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra said the government could actually use police power to make COVID-19 vaccination mandatory.

But this can only be done by law, especially if there is a corresponding penalty for refusing to be vaccinated.

The Commission on Human Rights (CHR) sees it as a violation of human rights to force and punish government employees who do not want to be vaccinated.

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According to CHR Commissioner Leah Armamento, there is also no existing law on this, which will explain why the unvaccinated cannot serve in the government.

Law needed to make COVID-19 vaccination mandatory – DOJ

He also said that there should be a due process,, or those who oppose vaccination should explain.

“Una sa lahat, siyempre karapatan ng isang taong pumili kung ano’ng gusto niyang gawin sa sarili niya. It’s basic human rights,” said Armamento.

Vaccine expert panel member Dr. Rontgene Solante agreed that government personnel who deal with the people should be vaccinated.

But he admitted that it would be a big problem if they were to be fired.

“Hindi naman siguro tanggalin. Ang hirap na walang trabaho sa ngayon. Mahirap iyan, malaking problema iyan,” said Solante.

“Siguro, we really have to work on that, kung paano natin sila ma-realign sa objective ng gobyerno natin, na dapat sana ma-encourage sila na lahat mapabakunahan,” he added.

Armamento and Solante, on the other hand, agreed that it would be better to give incentives to the vaccinated.

According to Guevarra, the government can only provide incentives now while there is no law.

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