DILG: Ordinary individuals like Fernandez who jumped vaccine line may be off-the-hook

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) on Thursday said it does not see any liability on the part of ordinary individuals, like actor Mark Anthony Fernandez, for skipping the COVID-19 vaccine priority list.

In a televised briefing, DILG Undersecretary Epimaco Densing III explained officials implementing the vaccination who allowed some individuals to jump the priority line are the ones to be held accountable.

“Sa ngayon po, amin iyang tinanong sa legal experts. Yung mga sumingit kagaya po ni Mark Anthony Fernandez nga kahapon na wala sa priority list pero nakasingit, as of this time, wala po kaming nakikitang potential liability. So mukhang makakalusot siya kung wala kaming makikitang liability,” Densing said when asked what is the liability of ordinary individuals who received the vaccine despite not being a priority.

(Right now, we asked our legal experts. Those who skipped the line that is not considered priority like Mark Anthony Fernandez, we do not see any potential liability as of yet. It looks like he will get away with it we don’t see any liability.)

“Kung nakasingit siya, hindi po natin nakikita kung ano yung liability ng isang nakasingit pero baka magkaroon ng liability yung nagpasingit at nagpayag na sya ay bakunahan kahit labas po sya sa priority list,” he explained.

(If they cut the line, we don’t see the liability on them but those who allowed him to be vaccinated despite being outside the priority list.)

Despite this, Densing appealed to the public who are not yet considered a priority in the vaccination to allow health workers to be inoculated first.

“Pero sana naman yung mga ordinaryong Pilipino na wala sa priority listing, makonsensya na lamang po kayo na marami sa ating kababayan e laging exposed sa COVID-19, itong mga healthcare workers,” he said.

(I hope the ordinary Filipinos not yet in the priority list be conscientious given many of our countrymen or the healthcare workers are the ones always exposed to COVID-19.)

Fernandez was said to be vaccinated in Parañaque City as a qualified substitute in the priority list, given he has comorbidities such as hypertension.

President Rodrigo Duterte already ordered a probe into his vaccination.

EDV