Malacañang still expects the Presidential Security Group (PSG) to participate in investigations of executive branch agencies into their use of an unregistered COVID-19 vaccine.

“The hearings of the executive branch can continue and, of course, we expect the PSG to appear and cooperate,” said Presidential Spokesman Harry Roque on Tuesday, January 5.

However, a few hours before this statement, the Armed Forces of the Philippines had announced it had canceled its planned probe after hearing President Rodrigo Duterte, on Monday night, bar the PSG from joining any congressional inquiry into the controversy.

Roque said PSG chief Brigadier General Jesus Durante III was even with him in his flight back to Manila in order to appear at the military probe before its cancellation was announced.

Pressed by Rappler to confirm that the PSG will cooperate in planned investigations by the National Bureau of Investigation and the Food and Drug Administration, Roque said, “I think they will because there is no order from the President not to participate.”

No order to stop probes but will they be independent?

The spokesman also said Duterte has not given any order, to his knowledge, to stop the investigations. He said it was up to NBI and FDA whether or not to push through with them.

Asked later on why Duterte has not bared any information on the mysterious jabbing of “smuggled” vaccines into his own security detail, Roque said, “Because he simply does not know.”

However, executive agencies answer directly to Duterte, being the Chief Executive. A Senate probe, in comparison, would be carried out by what is supposed to be an independent and co-equal branch of government meant to serve as a check and balance to the powerful executive arm.

Duterte had bristled at plans of some senators to look into the PSG vaccination issue. He made it sound like he was protecting his security group and defending their supposed right to inoculate themselves against COVID-19.

Must Read

5 nagging questions the Duterte gov’t has not answered on its use of unregistered vaccines

Philippine laws prohibit the distribution and administering of vaccines not yet approved by the Food and Drug Administration. Such laws were designed to protect Filipinos from unsafe health products. – Rappler.com