MANILA – President Rodrigo Duterte ordered the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to execute a follow-up prosecution following the bust of fake medicine sellers and fly-by-night drug stores.
“Ang akin lang kasi (My point here is that) there’s must be a follow-up sa prosecution para mahinto na ito (for this to end),” Duterte told FDA officer-in-charge Oscar Gutierrez during his prerecorded Talk to the People on Monday night.
Duterte emphasized the need of prosecuting those responsible for unlawful actions, stating that it would scare people away from imitating others’ wrongdoings.
“That’s the only way to discourage people selling fake medicines even they are called legit outlets,” he added.
Gutierrez stated that the FDA has been collaborating with law enforcers to stop the sale of counterfeit drugs, particularly in small businesses such as sari-sari stores.
These sari-sari stores, Gutierrez said, usually acquire permits through the local government units (LGUs).
“We would like sana (hopefully) to work with the LGUs para po (so that) maybe they can pass an ordinance na iyong mga (those) sari-sari store po do not buy or carrying medicine,” he said.
Duterte supported Gutierrez’s plan and directed LGUs to enforce strict ordinances against the selling of fake medicines.
“Sabihin mo lang utos ito ni Presidente ibigay daw sa inyo, tapos gusto ni Presidente na mabigyan siya ng monitoring output para masundan ko rin (Just tell them President has ordered it, to give it to you and them tell them President wants a monitoring output so I can also catch up),” he told Gutierrez.
Department of the Interior and Local Government Secretary Eduardo Año expressed their support to the FDA in its fight against fake drug selling.
“We will intensify this and make sure that our LGUs will join this campaign against the selling of fake medicines because they are dangerous to the health of our constituents. We will coordinate with the FDA on the issuance of appropriate circular order,” Año said.
Duterte also asked the FDA to bolster its collaboration with law enforcement agencies such as the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) and the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) when prosecuting fake drugs sellers.
“Do not venture out or make mga ganito (like these) raids and everything, without the corresponding prosecution kasi kailagan talaga mademanda ito (they need to be charged). So you are better off with the NBI conducting or the CIDG,” he said.
Duterte added that people engaged in such illegal activities should be imprisoned as it is a serious fraud.
