SENATE president Vicente Sotto, III called the new policy of no vaccination, no ride as “illegal and discriminatory” during an online press conference yesterday afternoon.
Sotto, who himself is vaccinated including his wife, and had just received a booster shot, said it has been his original position that vaccination cards would not be used to take away the freedom of choice to fellow Filipinos.
He said since the implementation of the said order especially in the National Capital Region, he has been receiving complaints from several individuals that they could not take the jeepney in reporting to their workplace.
“Ang sabi nang IATF at DOH ginagawa nila yan kasi makahawa daw ang mga unvaxxed. Eh, sa scientific study even those who are vaccinated they can also transmit the virus to others so pareho lang so, bakit pagbawalan mo,” the senator said.
He cited Dr. Robert Malone, the architect of the mRNA vaccine cautioning fellow physicians in applying the vaccine to the people as there is no adequate testing yet.
Sotto said he is confused by the previous statements of the Department of Health saying that they have already vaccinated the population to almost a hundred percent.
He said if that statement is true then we already reached herd immunity where vaccination is not anymore needed.
There are even studies that those who survived the virus-neutralizing anti-bodies are stronger than those who have not been infected.
Meanwhile, Sotto also slammed the “no vax, no work policy.” He said there is already a memorandum signed by Secretary Silvestre Bello, lll of the Department of Labor and Employment stating that no worker in the private and in government offices would be discriminated against just because the person is unvaccinated
When he was asked whether one can file a case in court against any implementor such as a member of the Philippine National Police or government officials, Sotto said it is always possible even as he cautioned the PNP to be very careful.
“It is very clear that they have not studied well before they implemented it. There is no proper information dissemination to the law enforcers,” Sotto said.
He said they just implemented it without the context on how it is to be done and how it should be done.
Sotto is the running mate of Presidential aspirant Panfilo Lacson as vice president for the coming national and local elections.
