Suspect in alleged selling of COVID-19 vaccines and vaccine slots surrenders
The suspect in the alleged selling of COVID - 19 vaccine and vaccine slot surrendered to Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA) Chairman Benhur Abalos and his wife, Menchie Abalos, on Wednesday.
The suspect identified as Kyle Bonifacio, a resident of Mandaluyong City, was presented to the media before he was turned over to the police.
Mayor Abalos said the father of the suspect who is a barangay councilor in Mandaluyong called him to say he wanted to surrender his son to authorities.
"At first we're not aware that he is from Mandaluyong. That night his father called me and says 'Ma'm the person your looking for is my son'. I was shocked... the next day he told me "Ma'm I will come to you. I will surrender my son," she said.
Bonifacio refused to answer questions from the media but he expressed confidence that he is innocent.
"I am confident that I am innocent, I just surfaced because I wanted to end this issue," he said.
Bonifacio surrendered after Philippine National Police (PNP) Chief General Guillermo Eleazar announced that he is invoking his subpoena power against a suspect who was allegedly involved in selling vaccine and COVID-19 vaccine slots.
"In order to further ferret out the truth on this controversy, I am invoking the power given to me by the law as the Chief PNP to issue subpoena against the persons involved in the alleged sale of COVID vaccines and vaccine slots,” Eleazar said Wednesday morning.
"This kind of activity is unacceptable. True or not, I will do everything in my power as your chief PNP to give clarity to this issue," he added.
Eleazar said investigators identified at least one person who offered a vaccine and a vaccine slot to a high school friend through a social media messaging app.
However, the suspect reportedly gone into hiding and deactivated all his social media accounts.
"At least one person was already identified by the PNP, this suspect should visit my office to clarify the issue. Don't play hide and seek with our police forces," he said.
According to the PNP, "under the Republic Act 10973, the Chief PNP and the Director and the Deputy Director for Administration of the PNP’s Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) are given the authority to issue subpoena in relation to the police’ conduct of investigations, particularly on high-profile crimes."
Eleazar also expressed support for Malacañang’s call for Local Government Units (LGUs) to pass penal ordinances that would prohibit the sale of vaccination slots allotted for their constituents. He said the ordinances would ban the unscrupulous practice and penalize violators. Robina Asido/DMS
