Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles said that President Duterte was just expressing his exasperation when he raised that the movement of those unvaccinated against the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) should be limited and that they should just stay home.
Nograles made the statement after Duterte said will order the police and barangay officials to not let unvaccinated people go around the streets, telling them to escort these "walking spreaders" home and not let them out.
In an interview with Super Radyo DZBB, Nograles said the President's remarks were just an expression of exasperation and that he was puzzled why there were people who continued to refuse to be vaccinated.
"I guess it's an expression lang ng frustration. Hindi niya maintindihan kung bakit ayaw magpabakuna (He doesn't understand why there are people who do not want to be vaccinated)," he said.
The Palace official added that President Duterte was just also stressing the importance of being vaccinated.
"Number one, it's for your safety; number two, para sa safety rin ng pamilya mo (for your family's safety); and number three, para sa safety rin ng komunidad mo. So kailangan din nating magpabakuna lahat (for your community's safety. That's why we have to be vaccinated)," he said.
"Dinidiin niya lang talaga yung importance ng pagbabakuna (He's just emphasizing that vaccination is important)," he added.
On Wednesday, July 28, President reiterated that the answer to the problem at hand was vaccination. He said he will tell the police and the barangays to escort the unvaccinated people back to their homes.
“Itong ayaw magpabakuna, sinasabi ko sa inyo, ‘wag kayong lumabas ng bahay (I’m telling those who refuse to be vaccinated, do not leave your house)... You’ll be escorted back to your house because you are a walking spreader,” he said.
“It behooves upon really the barangay captains.. to go around to see who are vaccinated and who are not, and to give the appropriate warning that they should not be going around because they are throwing viruses left and right,” he added.
“Pag ayaw nilang magpabakuna, ‘wag mo silang palabasin ng bahay. Ganoon ang ano niyan. Wala tayo, defenseless tayo, eh (If they don’t want to get vaccinated, don’t let them out of their house. That’s how it is. We’re defenseless),” he continued.
According to the President, he was forced to make the move to save the country.
“Bayan itong pinag-uusapan natin kaya kung ayaw ninyong makatuong by having the vaccines, ‘wag na lang kayong lumabas ng bahay (We’re talking about our country here so if you don’t want to help by having the vaccine, then don’t leave your house),” he said.
He added that there was no law that would punish those who refuse to get inoculated and he did not intend to wait for one because of the urgency of the situation.
As of July 29, a total of 19,359,927 doses of COVID-19 vaccines have been administered with 7,835,715 completing the required two doses.