Threatens Imprisonment And 'Expulsion' Of Citizens Who Reject COVID-19 Vaccine, President Duterte Reaps Criticism

Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte Wikimedia Commons PCOO EDP

JAKARTA - Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte has threatened to send his citizens to prison for refusing a COVID-19 vaccination, often with increased vigilance over new cases of the Delta variant.

"You can choose: you get the vaccine or I will send you to jail," Duterte said in a recorded speech late Monday, citing Al Jazeera Tuesday, June 22.

Starting its vaccinations in March, the Philippines has found low public interest in getting the vaccine, although it is also reported that they are scrambling to get a limited number of Pfizer vaccines.

Infuriated, President Rodrigo Duterte called those who reject the COVID-19 vaccine stubborn, and threatened to inject them with animal injections.

Prior to the prison threat, President Duterte also threatened to shoot Filipinos who violate lockdown restrictions during the pandemic. At least two people were reported killed under this policy.

Illustration of a COVID-19 vaccine. (Wikimedia Commons/bratislavskysamospravnykraj)

President Duterte is furious, because of the country's approximately 110 million population, only 1.95 percent have been fully vaccinated, according to Herd Immunity PH. In a separate report, the government said as of Monday night 8.4 million doses of the vaccine had been administered. In detail, 6.2 million people have received their first dose, while 2.15 million people have been fully vaccinated.

To persuade its citizens to be vaccinated, the Philippines has opened vaccination centers in churches, malls and cinemas to facilitate access. Various incentives were also given, including the provision of livestock. In fact, he even called those who refused the vaccine to leave the country, go to India or the United States.

But the president's latest statement immediately drew criticism from Filipino health practitioners. In a statement to Al Jazeera, Harold Chiu, an endocrinology specialist at the Philippines General Hospital in Manila, said threats of coercion and jailing people for refusing vaccination violated patient freedom.

"I encourage everyone to be vaccinated because vaccines work and prevent us from severe COVID-19," he said,

Meanwhile, Mia Magdalena Longid, a teacher and registered nurse, said she didn't think punishing people would encourage them to be vaccinated.

"Vaccination incentives will be welcome, especially in a country full of hungry people," he said.

Vaccine illustration. (Sam Moqadam/Unsplash)

The leader of the rights group Karapatan, Cristina Palabay, said Duterte's threats had no legal basis.

"The legal basis for such a statement is highly questionable, and morally and socially, it is unacceptable," Palabay said.

"Duterte's approach will only scare people. It will have far-reaching implications for how we promote and improve a truly comprehensive health care system in this country," he said.

Separately, in a televised press conference on Tuesday, Deputy Health Minister Myrna Cabotaje clarified that the president's threats were born out of a desire and in the context of protecting Filipinos.

However, presidential spokesman Harry Roque separately said there is jurisprudence that can make vaccination mandatory, and states have the right to make COVID-19 vaccination mandatory.

Launching Worldometers, Tuesday, June 22, the Philippines recorded a total of 1,367,894 cases of infection and 23,809 deaths due to COVID-19, with a total of 1,291,389 patients who recovered.