1 month ago
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ILOILO CITY — Former health secretary Janette Garin, who was involved in the Dengvaxia vaccine anomaly, said the Department of Justice's (DOJ) move to withdraw 98 criminal cases related to the vaccination "reaffirms truth and justice in public health."
"This decision is a victory for truth, justice and science," said Garin in a statement.
"It affirms that public health decisions based on sound evidence and expert guidance cannot be tainted by baseless accusations," she added.
Garin, who is now the representative of the first district of Iloilo, emphasized that the DOJ's withdrawal of the charges against her, Dr. Gerardo Bayugo and Dr. Ma Joyce Ducusin, showed that "justice has prevailed."
The Justice Department, on Jan. 27, dropped all reckless imprudence resulting in homicide charges for not finding a prima facie case with reasonable certainty of conviction against the three former DOH officials.
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In its decision, the DOJ said no malicious intent was found in the officials' action and no causal link could be established between the vaccine and children's deaths.
It also pointed out that a significant time had elapsed between vaccination and reported incidents.
The DOJ also highlighted that the vaccine was purchased through a rigorous bidding process and a Certificate of Product Registration was issued by the Food and Drug Administration.
"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," Garin stressed.
The lawmaker also raised concern over the ongoing delays in case resolution from the Public Attorney's Office (PAO).
"The case buildup 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.
Garin further called for transparency regarding the funds spent by PAO on the Dengvaxia cases, adding that public health has been politicized.
The PAO has recently filed a 68-page motion for reconsideration, arguing that the deaths of 170 children "speak for themselves" and demanding the case be reopened.
