FORMER health secretary and now Iloilo Rep. Janette Garin yesterday said the Department of Justice’s decision to withdraw the 98 counts of reckless imprudence resulting in homicide cases filed against her in connection with the controversial anti-dengue vaccine Dengvaxia is “a victory for truth, justice, and science.”
Garin, a physician by profession, commended the move of Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla.
“It affirms that public health decisions based on sound evidence and expert guidance cannot be tainted by baseless accusations. Justice has prevailed, and I welcome this ruling with gratitude and renewed commitment,” Garin said. “It’s only in the Philippines that Dengvaxia has been ridiculously accused of ‘causing death.’ Globally, it has been recognized as a safe and effective vaccine that prevents severe dengue and saves lives.”
In a resolution dated January 10, Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla ordered the Prosecutor General to withdraw the cases filed against Garin, as well as her co-respondents Dr. Ma. Joyce Ducusin and Dr. Gerardo Bayugo, before the Quezon City Regional Trial Court.
Bayugo and Ducusin, in a joint statement, said that by withdrawing the charges, the DOJ prevented a possible “miscarriage of justice,” avoiding a serious legal error or potential wrongful conviction.
“The DOJ decision has stopped an unfair legal process and ensure the proper application of the law, and it came at a time when justice was at risk of being denied to us,” they said.
The government suspended its dengue vaccination program using Dengvaxia jabs in 2017 following Sanofi’s announcement that it could cause severe dengue if given to those without prior exposure to the disease. Some 860,000 people, including 830,000 children, were inoculated with Dengvaxia before the DOH stopped the program.
Public Attorney’s Office chief Persida Acosta, who spearheaded the filing of cases against health officials and that of Sanofi, has said they have documented close to 100 deaths of children attributable to Dengvaxia.
Garin expressed concern over the PAO’s ongoing delays in case resolution, saying it is “using taxpayer money without accountability.”
“The case build-up should have been completed long ago, but instead, it is still being prolonged unnecessarily. The PAO continues to delay case resolution, consuming taxpayer money with no accountability,” she said.
The former health secretary called for transparency in the use of funds spent on the Dengvaxia cases, stressing that the public health issue “has been politicized.”
“Much has been spent on the Dengvaxia cases. I call on the Public Attorney’s Office to disclose this information for transparency. These funds should be used instead to assist those who have been unjustly jailed and urgently need support.”
Garin called for an end “to exploiting grieving parents and stop giving false hope to those who have already lost their children.” “Stop playing on their emotions for personal or political gain. These parents have become victims of political maneuvering instead of being provided genuine support,” she said.