Paulyn Ubial may be charged over Dengvaxia mess

MANILA, Philippines — The report of the Senate Blue Ribbon committee on the P3-billion Dengvaxia controversy may include former health secretary Paulyn Ubial among the officials that should be held accountable, as she continued the questionable anti-dengue vaccination program under her watch, the recently concluded probe in the chamber showed.

The committee, chaired by Sen. Richard Gordon, wrapped up last March 13 its joint probe into the Dengvaxia controversy with the committee on health, chaired by Sen. Joseph Victor Ejercito, after seven public hearings.

“You can be assured, and I think you know already, this will be a hard-hitting report with the end in view that this sad part of our history will never be repeated by the very sentinel, by the very guardians, of our health, the Department of Health,” Gordon said at the probe’s closing.

He indicated that the committee may recommend that charges be filed against former president Benigno Aquino III, former health secretary Janette Garin and possibly Ubial, among many others, for the program that involved the vaccination of over 837,000 individuals with Dengvaxia, a vaccine manufactured by Sanofi Pasteur.

Senators earlier questioned Ubial, who was Garin’s successor, why she continued the program despite her own personal misgivings. The former health chief said she wanted the immunization program stopped but she felt pressure from lawmakers to continue it when she assumed office in 2017.