Saudi Press

Saudi Arabia and the world
Friday, Aug 22, 2025

‘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.

Newsletter

Related Articles

Saudi Press
0:00
0:00
Close
Dogfights in the Skies: Airbus on Track to Overtake Boeing and Claim Aviation Supremacy
Tim Cook Promises an AI Revolution at Apple: "One of the Most Significant Technologies of Our Generation"
Are AI Data Centres the Infrastructure of the Future or the Next Crisis?
Miles Worth Billions: How Airlines Generate Huge Profits
Zelenskyy Returns to White House Flanked by European Allies as Trump Pressures Land-Swap Deal with Putin
Beijing is moving into gold and other assets, diversifying away from the dollar
Cristiano Ronaldo Makes Surprise Stop at New Hong Kong Museum
Zelenskyy to Visit Washington after Trump–Putin Summit Yields No Agreement
High-Stakes Trump-Putin Summit on Ukraine Underway in Alaska
Iranian Protection Offers Chinese Vehicle Shipments a Cost Advantage over Japanese and Korean Makers
Saudi Arabia accelerates renewables to curb domestic oil use
Cristiano Ronaldo and Georgina Rodríguez announce engagement
Asia-Pacific dominates world’s busiest flight routes, with South Korea’s Jeju–Seoul corridor leading global rankings
Private Welsh island with 19th-century fort listed for sale at over £3 million
Sam Altman challenges Elon Musk with plans for Neuralink rival
Australia to Recognize the State of Palestine at UN Assembly
The Collapse of the Programmer Dream: AI Experts Now the Real High-Earners
Armenia and Azerbaijan to Sign US-Brokered Framework Agreement for Nakhchivan Corridor
British Labour Government Utilizes Counter-Terrorism Tools for Social Media Monitoring Against Legitimate Critics
WhatsApp Deletes 6.8 Million Scam Accounts Amid Rising Global Fraud
Nine people have been hospitalized and dozens of salmonella cases have been reported after an outbreak of infections linked to certain brands of pistachios and pistachio-containing products, according to the Public Health Agency of Canada
Texas Residents Face Water Restrictions While AI Data Centers Consume Millions of Gallons
Tariffs, AI, and the Shifting U.S. Macro Landscape: Navigating a New Economic Regime
India Rejects U.S. Tariff Threat, Defends Russian Oil Purchases
United States Establishes Strategic Bitcoin Reserve and Digital Asset Stockpile
Thousands of Private ChatGPT Conversations Accidentally Indexed by Google
China Tightens Mineral Controls, Curtailing Critical Inputs for Western Defence Contractors
OpenAI’s Bold Bet: Teaching AI to Think, Not Just Chat
BP’s Largest Oil and Gas Find in 25 Years Uncovered Offshore Brazil
JPMorgan and Coinbase Unveil Partnership to Let Chase Cardholders Buy Crypto Directly
British Tourist Dies Following Hair Transplant in Turkey, Police Investigate
WhatsApp Users Targeted in New Scam Involving Account Takeovers
Trump Deploys Nuclear Submarines After Threats from Former Russian President Medvedev
Germany’s Economic Breakdown and the Return of Militarization: From Industrial Collapse to a New Offensive Strategy
IMF Upgrades Global Growth Forecast as Weaker Dollar Supports Outlook
Politics is a good business: Barack Obama’s Reported Net Worth Growth, 1990–2025
"Crazy Thing": OpenAI's Sam Altman Warns Of AI Voice Fraud Crisis In Banking
Japanese Prime Minister Vows to Stay After Coalition Loses Upper House Majority
President Trump Diagnosed with Chronic Venous Insufficiency After Leg Swelling
Man Dies After Being Pulled Into MRI Machine Due to Metal Chain in New York Clinic
FIFA Pressured to Rethink World Cup Calendar Due to Climate Change
"Can You Hit Moscow?" Trump Asked Zelensky To Make Putin "Feel The Pain"
Nvidia Becomes World’s First Four‑Trillion‑Dollar Company Amid AI Boom
Iranian President Reportedly Injured During Israeli Strike on Secret Facility
Kurdistan Workers Party Takes Symbolic Step Towards Peace in Northern Iraq
BRICS Expands Membership with Indonesia and Ten New Partner Countries
Elon Musk Founds a Party Following a Poll on X: "You Wanted It – You Got It!"
AI Raises Alarms Over Long-Term Job Security
Saudi Arabia Maintains Ties with Iran Despite Israel Conflict
Russia Formally Recognizes Taliban Government in Afghanistan
×