Ex-DOH chief Garin posts bail in Dengvaxia case

MANILA, Philippines — Former health secretary and incumbent Iloilo 1st District Rep. Janette Garin posted bail yesterday in connection with the criminal charges she is facing before the Sandiganbayan over the allegedly anomalous P3.556-billion dengue mass vaccination program in 2016.

The anti-graft court’s Second Division said Garin posted bail of P90,000 for the graft case and P18,000 for the illegal use of public funds complaint.

Garin was allowed to post bail following the judicial determination of probable cause to proceed with the trial, even without issuing an arrest warrant.

In a statement sent to reporters, she said posting bail was part of her “agonizing process” to prove her innocence and “ensure a fair trial.”

Garin’s co-respondents also posted bail.

“We hope that this first step into clearing our name can be dealt with in a timely way so that scientists and doctors can perform our regular tasks,” she said.

Garin said the issues on Dengvaxia have led to a significant drop in vaccine confidence, leading to measles and polio outbreaks.

The cases stemmed from the Aquino administration’s purchase of P3.556 billion worth of Dengvaxia vaccines manufactured by French pharmaceutical giant Sanofi Pasteur and distributed locally by Zuellig Pharma.

The vaccines were administered to about 800,000 public school students aged nine and above, particularly in the National Capital Region, Central Luzon and Calabarzon, beginning April 2016 with the implementation of the school-based immunization program.

The Department of Health suspended the mass immunization program on Dec. 1, 2017, a day after Sanofi Pasteur disclosed that Dengvaxia posed a threat of severe symptoms to those who had not been afflicted with dengue.