The Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) could file administrative sanctions against local chief executives who allegedly “skipped the line” in the ongoing government Covid-19 vaccination drive.
The DILG said it would file cases against the accused officials if their reply to the show cause order issued to them are erroneous or “unacceptable.”
“We will file the case before the Office of the Ombudsman. The Ombudsman will be one, which will appreciate which sanction will be met to the local government [official] for violating regulations and the law,” Interior Undersecretary Epimaco Densing III in an interview with PTV on Thursday.
The sanction could range from a 30-day suspension to being removed from office.
Additional investigations
In his public address on Wednesday, President Rodrigo R. Duterte called for an investigation on 9 local chief executives, who purportedly availed of Covid-19 vaccine despite not being medical worker.
This violated the governments vaccination deployment plan, which currently prioritized health care workers (HCW) since they have the highest risk from being infected with Covid-19.
Aside from the local chief executives called out by Duterte, Densing said they will also be probing two more officials for similar violation.
Also probed by DILG is its very own spokesperson, Jonathan Malaya, who was vaccinated without the authorization by Duterte.
Densing said Malaya was admonished for the incident, but his explanation was ultimately “accepted” by Malacañang since the error in judgement was made “in good faith.”
Command responsibility
Densing said they also investigated by DILG is Parañaque City Mayor Edwin Olivarez for allowing Actor Mark Anthony Fernandez.
Olivarez said Fernandez was included in their Quick Substitution List for having a comorbidities including hypertension and depression.
Densing said Olivarez may face sanctions due to the principle of “command responsibility.”
Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque, however, gave a contrary position stating that “command responsibility” could only be invoked in times of fighting and war.
Roque issued the statement when asked if President Rodrigo R. Duterte could be held accountable for allowing the inoculation of some member of the Presidential Security Group (PSG) using unregistered Covid-19 vaccine last year.
No one was held liable for the said incident, which violated Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulations.
Image credits: AP/Aaron Favila
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