A suspect in the alleged online selling of government-procured Covid-19 vaccines in Mandaluyong City voluntarily surrendered to Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) Chairman Benjamin “Benhur” Abalos Jr. and Mandaluyong City Mayor Carmelita “Menchie” Abalos on Tuesday night.
The suspect, identified as Kyle Bonifacio, 22, who is a son of a barangay official in the city, was turned over to Philippine National Police (PNP) and the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) for further investigation.
Abalos also presented Bonifacio to the media on Wednesday before turning him over to the NBI.
The MMDA chief said that Bonifacio was accompanied by his parents when he voluntarily surrendered to them.
Abalos said Bonifacio’s father, a barangay kagawad, called her up on Tuesday night and volunteered to surrender his son.
“Kyle’s parents were surprised when authorities went to their house and started to investigate on their son. The father decided to surrender his son to us,” said Abalos.
Abalos said they consider the case solved and will leave the full investigation to the PNP and NBI for the appropriate filing of charges.
“We will see to it that justice is served,” Abalos vowed, warning the public that selling and buying of Covid- 19 vaccines is illegal.
He also urged the public to report incidents of selling of vaccine slots to authorities.
“Individuals who offer vaccine slots for a fee and those who will buy the vaccine slots may be charged,” he warned.
Running short of vaccines?
The government may be facing a possible shortage of Covid-19 vaccine doses next month once it starts the vaccination of economic frontliners, according to the Department of Health (DOH).
In an online news briefing on Wednesday, Health Undersecretary Myrna Cabotaje said around 13 million people from the National Capital Region (NCR), Laguna, Cavite, Bulacan and Rizal will be prioritized with the roll out of Covid-19 jabs for those in the A4 priority group (economic frontliners).
But she noted their anticipated vaccine inventory during that period would only be 10 million doses.
“So if the 13 million [doses] will not be enough for our estimated A4 [beneficiaries], the LGU [local government units] will decide who among A4 will be vaccinated first,” Cabotaje explained.
“We will leave it to the LGU to strategize on who are at the most risk, most vulnerable among the A4 depending on their locality,” she added.
The government is expected to start next month with the vaccination of those in the A4, as well as A5 (indigent) priority groups.
Citing data from the National Economic and Development Authority, Cabotaje said there are an estimated 22.4 million economic frontliners and 8.5 million indigents, who will finally be given vaccines next month.
On May 1, 2021, the government held a symbolic vaccination for 10,695 economic frontliners to mark the celebration of Labor Day.
As of Tuesday, Cabotaje said the government already administered Covid-19 vaccines to 3.47 million people nationwide. Of which, 1,029,061 already got their second dose. Samuel P. Medenilla