DOJ summons Benigno Aquino III, others to answer Dengvaxia raps

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Justice (DOJ) has summoned former president Benigno Aquino III and two former Cabinet secretaries to answer criminal charges filed against them over the reported deaths and serious illnesses of children inoculated with the anti-dengue vaccine Dengvaxia.

In a subpoena, the panel of investigating prosecutors directed Aquino, former health secretary Janette Garin and former budget secretary Florencio Abad to appear before the DOJ on March 23 for preliminary investigation hearing on the complaint filed by the Volunteers Against Crime and Corruption (VACC) and Vanguard of the Philippine Constitution Inc. (VPCI) last month.

Aquino, Garin and Abad will be required to submit their respective counter-affidavits to the charges of multiple homicide and physical injuries under the Revised Penal Code, malversation of public funds, and violations of Republic Act 3019 (Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act) and RA 9184 (Government Procurement Reform Act).

The DOJ panel chaired by Senior Assistant State Prosecutor Rossane Balauag also summoned other incumbent and former government officials and personnel who were also named respondents in the charge sheet.

They are Department of Health undersecretaries Carol Tanio, Gerardo Bayugo, Lilibeth David and Mario Villaverde; former undersecretaries Nemesio Gako, Vicente Belizario Jr. and Kenneth Hartigan-Go; assistant secretaries Lyndon Lee Suy and Nestor Santiago; former financial management service director Laureano Cruz; incumbent DOH directors Joyce Ducusin, May Wynn Belo, Leonila Gorgolon, Rio Magpantay, Ariel Valencia and Julius Lecciones; and Garin’s former executive assistant Yolanda Oliveros.

Summons were also sent to senior executives of French pharmaceutical firm Sanofi Pasteur, the developer and manufacturer of Dengvaxia, as well as Zuellig Pharma, DOH’s supplier of the vaccine.

The summons were issued last March 1.

In a related development, while all the attention has been on the alleged culpability of Aquino and Garin, former health secretary Paulyn Ubial could be just as liable for continuing the vaccination program.

The Senate Blue Ribbon committee concluded an inquiry into the Dengvaxia controversy and is set to release its committee report soon.

During the hearings it was learned that Garin’s successor, Ubial, continued the program and even expanded its coverage.

The DOH under Ubial administered over a million Dengvaxia vaccine doses in the expanded program, which was significantly higher than the 493,000 doses given out during the term of Garin. – With Marvin Sy

Related video