Budapest Post

Cum Deo pro Patria et Libertate
Budapest, Europe and world news

‘Jab ‘em in their sleep’: Philippines’ Duterte proposes new way of tackling vaccine hesitancy

‘Jab ‘em in their sleep’: Philippines’ Duterte proposes new way of tackling vaccine hesitancy

Filipino ninja doctors may soon be sneaking into the homes of Covid-19 vaccine refuseniks to inject them in their sleep. At least that’s the idea proposed by the country’s trigger-happy president.

The unorthodox approach to boosting vaccination rates was touted by Rodrigo Duterte during his latest ‘Talk to the People’ address on Monday. “I know many people are still hesitant,” the president said, as quoted by local media.

"So find them in your barangays (neighborhoods). Let’s enter their houses and vaccinate them while they are asleep. End of story."


The president added that he was ready to personally lead the nocturnal immunization raids.

The suggestion, which was hopefully a joke, came as the Philippines president was trying to convince the public to take the vaccine. On the same program, Duterte took personal responsibility for his government’s failure to secure enough doses for a swifter vaccine rollout earlier this year, but noted that even a limited campaign had reduced the spread of the disease.

The Pacific island nation started its Covid-19 immunization program in March, using China’s Sinovac vaccine. Duterte had earlier blamed rich nations for hoarding available doses and leaving countries like the Philippines behind.

The outgoing president is no stranger to using harsh methods to deal with various issues. He infamously introduced a violent police crackdown on drug crimes, which critics say amounted to mass extrajudicial killings. Earlier this month, the Justice Department said 154 cops involved in the war on drugs may face criminal charges for overstepping their authority. The International Criminal Court, which is conducting its own investigation, says the scale of alleged police crimes was much higher, with the number of victims numbered in the tens of thousands.

Duterte has previously suggested a strong-arm approach to vaccine refuseniks. In June, he said those who won’t take the jab should leave the country or be jailed and jabbed by force. “I’ll have you arrested [and] then I’ll inject a vaccine into your buttocks,” he warned at the time.

AI Disclaimer: An advanced artificial intelligence (AI) system generated the content of this page on its own. This innovative technology conducts extensive research from a variety of reliable sources, performs rigorous fact-checking and verification, cleans up and balances biased or manipulated content, and presents a minimal factual summary that is just enough yet essential for you to function as an informed and educated citizen. Please keep in mind, however, that this system is an evolving technology, and as a result, the article may contain accidental inaccuracies or errors. We urge you to help us improve our site by reporting any inaccuracies you find using the "Contact Us" link at the bottom of this page. Your helpful feedback helps us improve our system and deliver more precise content. When you find an article of interest here, please look for the full and extensive coverage of this topic in traditional news sources, as they are written by professional journalists that we try to support, not replace. We appreciate your understanding and assistance.
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Putin Celebrates ‘Unprecedentedly High’ Ties with China as Gazprom Seals Power of Siberia-2 Deal
China Unveils New Weapons in Grand Military Parade as Xi Hosts Putin and Kim
Rapper Cardi B Cleared of Liability in Los Angeles Civil Assault Trial
Google Avoids Break-Up in U.S. Antitrust Case as Stocks Rise
Couple celebrates 80th wedding anniversary at assisted living facility in Lancaster
Information Warfare in the Age of AI: How Language Models Become Targets and Tools
The White House on LinkedIn Has Changed Their Profile Picture to Donald Trump
"Insulted the Prophet Muhammad": Woman Burned Alive by Angry Mob in Niger State, Nigeria
Trump Responds to Death Rumors – Announces 'Missile City'
Druzhba Pipeline Incident Sparks Geopolitical Tensions
Cost of Opposition Leader Péter Magyar's Economic Plan Revealed
Germany in Turmoil: Ukrainian Teenage Girl Pushed to Death by Illegal Iraqi Migrant
United Krack down on human rights: Graham Linehan Arrested at Heathrow Over Three X Posts, Hospitalised, Released on Bail with Posting Ban
Asian and Middle Eastern Investors Avoid US Markets
Ray Dalio Warns of US Shift to Autocracy
Eurozone Inflation Rises to 2.1% in August
Russia and China Sign New Gas Pipeline Deal
Von der Leyen's Plane Hit by Suspected Russian GPS Interference in an Incident Believed to Be Caused by Russia or by Pro-Peace or by Anti-Corruption European Activists
China's Robotics Industry Fuels Export Surge
Suntory Chairman Resigns After Police Probe
Gold Price Hits New All-Time Record
UK Fintechs Explore Buying US Banks
Greece Suspends 5% of Schools as Birth Rate Drops
Apollo to Launch $5 Billion Sports Investment Vehicle
Bolsonaro Trial Nears Close Amid US-Brazil Tension
European Banks Push for Lower Cross-Border Barriers
Poland's Offshore Wind Sector Attracts Investors
Budapest Central European Fashion Week Kicks Off
U.S. Celebrates Labor Day
Hungarian National Team Captain Scores Epic Goal
EU is getting aggressive: Four AfD Candidates Die Unexpectedly Ahead of North Rhine-Westphalia Local Elections
Japanese Customer Sways from VW to BYD after “Unbelievable” Test Drive amid Dealership Expansion
Nestlé Removes CEO Laurent Freixe Following Undisclosed Relationship with Subordinate
Pickles are the latest craze among Generation Z in the United States.
Giuliani Seriously Injured in Accident – Trump to Award Him the Presidential Medal of Freedom
Deadline Day Delivers Record £125m Isak Move and Donnarumma to City
Nvidia Reveals: Two Mystery Customers Account for About 40% of Revenue
Woody Allen: "I Would Be Happy to Direct Trump Again in a Film"
Lula and Putin Hold Strategic BRICS Discussions Ahead of Trump–Putin Summit
White House Eyes Budapest for Peace Talks
Cave Diving Beneath the Streets of Budapest
Another American Restaurant Chain Opens in Budapest
Hungarian Opposition Politician Supports Ukrainian Commander
Opposition Leader Threatens Media Outlets
American Airlines Adds New Flights to Budapest
F1 Hungarian Grand Prix Wraps Up
WhatsApp is rolling out a feature that looks a lot like Telegram.
U.S. Trade Representative says Washington still negotiating trade deals after court rules tariffs illegal
Von der Leyen says Europe drawing up 'precise' plans to send troops to Ukraine
Kremlin accuses Europe of hindering Trump’s peace efforts in Ukraine
×