Duterte won’t apologize over claims EU holding hostage on vaccines — Palace
By Deighton Acuin
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| PHOTO: Philippine Daily Inquirer |
Malacañang said Thursday there would be no apology from President Rodrigo Duterte over claims that the European Union (EU) holding a hostage on coronavirus vaccines.
When asked if Duterte would apologize over his remarks, Presidential Spokesman Harry Roque said: “Wala po kasi kinakailangan naman talaga ng paglilinaw kasi ang lumalabas, nagkakaroon ng vaccine nationalism at yun po yung issue na nilabas ng ating Presidente.”
“Ngayong nagkaroon ng ganyang paglilinaw, we appreciate it pero kung hindi po nagsalita ang Presidente, hindi sila magbibigay ng linaw na ganyan,” he added.
In his weekly address to the nation, Duterte lamented how the EU sought to prohibit exportation of vaccines from British pharmaceutical firm AstraZeneca to other nations. However, EU said the Philippines is excluded from the ban.
According to Vaccine Czar Carlito Galvez Jr., the Philippines will receive 5,500,800 to 9,290,400 vaccine doses from the British company from the World Health Organization-COVAX Facility by the first quarter of the year.
The national and local governments earlier inked deal to receive 17 million AstraZaneca vaccine doses.
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