DAVAO CITY –– Those who refuse to get vaccinated should leave the Philippines, this was the stern warning of President Rodrigo Duterte on Monday night, June 21, 2021.
Irritated and frustrated over reports on refusal of individuals to get vaccinated with Covid-19 vaccine, Duterte said “I’m just exasperated by Filipinos not heeding the government. Eh, tutal dito wala tayong hangarin kundi kabutihan ng ating bayan (here, our intention is for the good of our country).
Duterte has repeatedly urged everyone to get vaccinated saying it is the only solution to beat the Covid-19 pandemic.
“Kung hindi kayo magpabakuna, umalis kayo sa Pilipinas (If you don’t want to get vaccinated, leave the Philippines). Go to India if you want, or somewhere in America. But for as long as you are here and you are a human being and can carry the virus, e magpabakuna ka (you should get vaccinated),” he added.
On the same televised address, Duterte directed the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) to identify and tally residents who refused to get vaccinated.
“Kayong mga (You) barangay captains, I’ll task the DILG to do that, to look for these persons. Kung hindi (If not), I will order their arrest sa totoo lang (to be honest),” he said.
Duterte theorized, individuals who refused vaccination are “potential carriers” of Covid-19 and they put other lives at risk. He said they should serve jail time as punishment for defying the government.
“Because if you are a person na hindi ka (that is not) vaccinated, you are a potential carrier and to protect the people I have to sequester you in jail. Mamili kayo, magpabakuna kayo o ipakulong ko kayo sa selda (Choose, get vaccinated or get imprisoned)?” he added.
As of June 19, the government has administered 8,222,759 doses of Covid-19 vaccines. Of this number, 2,210,134 persons have been fully vaccinated.-Editha Z. Caduaya
