Jail time awaits vax card fakers, Palace warns

MANILA – Malacañang on Tuesday warned that people faking coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) vaccination cards will be jailed.

In a press conference in Pampanga, Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque told the public not to take advantage of the eased rules on interzonal travel for fully-vaccinated individuals by presenting fake Covid-19 vaccination cards.

“Nagbibigay po ako ng babala doon sa mga mamemeke. Iyan po ay isang public document. Kapag kayo ay nameke ng vaccination card (I am warning those who will fake [vaccine cards]. That is a public document. If you use a fake vaccination card), that’s falsification of a public document. Medyo mataas po ang kulong diyan (You will be jailed),” Roque said.

Roque issued the statement after Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Gen. Guillermo Eleazar ordered police officers to be wary against the possible use of fake vaccination cards after rules in allowing interzonal travel for fully-vaccinated people have been relaxed.

Eleazar also guaranteed that the PNP is working closely with local government units in enforcing the latest guidelines issued by the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID).

Roque, also acting as IATF-EID spokesperson, said the task force would tackle the concerns raised by LGUs with regard to the possible use of fake vaccine cards.

“We have heard concerns expressed by the LGUs pagdating dito (when it comes to this issue). Iyan ay tatalakayin ng ating IATF (The IATF will discuss that),” he said.

Under IATF-EID Resolution 124-5, fully-vaccinated people will only need to present their vaccination card for interzonal travel, as well as for intrazonal movement.

The latest IATF-EID resolution also said a fully-vaccinated individual must be administered with vaccines that are included in the Emergency Use Authorization List or Compassionate Special Permit issued by the Philippine Food and Drug Administration or Emergency Use Listing of the World Health Organization.

For interzonal movement, the presentation of vaccine card “shall be sufficient alternatives” for any testing requirement which the local government of destination may require, according to the resolution.

Interzonal movement is the movement of people, goods, and services across areas placed under different community quarantine classifications.