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Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte threatened to jail those who refuse Covid-19 vaccines as the nation ramps up inoculations to prevent the spread of the highly contagious delta variant, with more than 1.3 million cases and 23,000 deaths.
“If you’re a person who’s not vaccinated and a potential carrier, to protect the people, I have to sequester you in jail,” Duterte said late Monday.
Village leaders should keep a list of those who refused to be vaccinated, he said.
Health officials in the country have said that while people are urged to receive the Covid-19 vaccine, it was voluntary.
If implemented, Duterte’s threat could be among the severest measures to boost inoculations in a nation where majority are unsure of or reject vaccines. Indonesia earlier this year moved to punish those who refuse shots with fines or delayed aid.
“Don’t get me wrong, there is a crisis in this country,” Duterte added. “I’m just exasperated by Filipinos not heeding the government.”
Duterte also stood by his decision not to let schools reopen as critics claim he has been high-handed in the way he has handled the covid-19 outbreak in his country so far..
Duterte then took a swipe at the International Criminal Court, after an ICC prosecutor had sought permission from the court for a full inquiry into the killing of drug lords and peddlers in the Philippines.
Duterte in March 2018 canceled the Philippines’ membership of the ICC’s founding treaty, and in his Monday address repeated he will not cooperate with the probe, describing the ICC as “bulls**t.”
“Why would I defend or face an accusation before White people. You must be crazy,” said Duterte.
