The Philippine National Police (PNP) ordered the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) to probe the alleged presence of “fixers” in local government units (LGUs) who secure vaccination slots for people in exchange for a fee.

The directive came after Pasig Mayor Vico Sotto revealed on Monday, June 28, that the city government apprehended two individuals in connection with the fraudulent scheme.

“I am directing the CIDG to investigate this scheme of vaccination schedule fixers in the different LGUs,” PNP Chief Police General Guillermo Eleazar said in a statement on Tuesday, June 29.

“This modus may not be only happening in Pasig, and this must come to an end. We will closely coordinate with our LGUs to prevent the proliferation of this modus,” he added in a mix of English and Filipino.

In a Facebook live broadcast on Monday, Sotto had said the city government was eyeing filing a formal complaint against those who were apprehended.

“May dalawa na tayong nahuli pero alam kong mayroon pa. Good luck sa inyo kapag nahuli ko kayo (We already nabbed two people but I know there are more. Good luck to them if we catch them),” he warned.

Play Video

This recent “fixer” issue is not the first time the scheme hounded local government units’ COVID-19 immunization efforts.

In May, controversy arose following reports that some people claiming to have connections with the city governments of Mandaluyong and San Juan were offering vaccine slots to netizens in exchange for a fee.

Both LGUs denied having a hand in the fraudulent scheme. Two suspects were also slapped with criminal complaints in the wake of the controversy.

Even before the government kicked off its legal inoculation drive in March, reports of illegal vaccinations of people close to President Rodrigo Duterte had already cast a shadow over the national government’s pandemic response.

As of June 27, 2.5 million Filipinos have been fully vaccinated against COVID-19, out of the 7.5 million individuals who had received their first dose. — Rappler.com