The Executive Order issued by Gov. Wilter Palma on Friday, January 7 banned the unvaccinated individuals in Zamboanga Sibugay from entering and transacting in public and private offices, prohibited to buy from markets and commercial establishments, and from riding vehicles of public conveyances.

The order is illegal, discriminatory, and unscientific that runs against the spirit and intent of the 1987 Philippine Constitution and Republic Act 11525 particularly Section 12.

Unrevoked, the EO tramples upon the right of the unvaccinated as a subtle coercion for them to get vaccinated even against their will. By curtailing the rights of the unvaccinated to have a free choice, Governor Palma's EO could be considered as a form of harassments and blatant violation of human rights.

This petition asks Gov. Wilter Palma to rescind or amend his EO immediately.

The attention of the Commission on Human Rights is hereby called with a prayer for the rights body to intervene in behalf of the petitioners.

The petitioners also called on the Department of Interior and Local Government to direct the regional office to look into the EO and determine if it resonates with existing legal opinion.