FILE PHOTO: Relatives of Dengvaxia victims crying for Justice

QUEZON CITY, Philippines – Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra on Thursday (November 8) said that the Public Attorney’s Office (PAO) is free to formulate its charges on the Dengvaxia case.

PAO Chief Atty. Persida Acosta said they are preparing the evidence that they will be presenting to the Department of Justice (DOJ) to upgrade the Dengvaxia raps from reckless imprudence resulting in multiple homicide to murder.

Respondents of the case are Sanofi Pasteur and former and incumbent officials of the Department of Health (DOH).

 “Ang elements of murder nandito na sa mga ebidensyang ito,” said Acosta.

But Secretary Guevarra said they will resolve the case on the basis of actual evidence.

“The PAO is free to formulate its charges. But the DOJ will resolve on the basis of actual evidence and nothing else,” Guevarra said.

Some parents of the children who died after being vaccinated with Dengvaxia are crying for justice.

 “Kasama ko sya papunta pgh malakas pa sya nakakalakad pa pagbaba namin sa bus wala na syang malay kala ko tulog lang yun pala nalagutan na sya ng hininga,” said Ellena Baldonado who blames her child’s death to Dengvaxia.

“Mabigat po ang nangyari sa anak ko kasi yung anak ko naturukan ng hindi sa akin humingi ng abiso nalaman ko patay na ang anak ko,” cried Annalyn Ibuña also a mother who lost her child allegedly to Dengvaxia vaccination.

Presidential Spokesperson Sec Salvador Panelo said the Palace vows to charge the people behind the Dengvaxia vaccine program.

The palace also expressed its sympathies to the grieving parents.

Panelo also ensured that the president is monitoring the development of the case. – Grace Casin

Tags: dengvaxia, Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra, Public Attorneys Office (PAO)

MANILA, Philippines — The Public Attorney’s Office (PAO) plans to upgrade their case filed before the Department of Justice (DOJ) against former Health Secretary Janet Garin and other officials linked to the controversial Dengvaxia vaccine procurement.

PAO Chief Persida Rueda Acosta has given PAO lawyers one week to study the possibility of upgrading it from homicide to murder and the determination of who among the 39 respondents may face the said charges.

“Kung alam nila na nakamamatay ang Dengvaxia, hindi lang kapabayaan ito. Ito po ay isang murder… Guinea pigs ang ginawa nila sa mga bata. Experimental vaccine pa ito up to November 2017. Clinical phase 3 phase 4 pa nga ngayon iyan. Imagine ngayon lang sila nagpapa approve sa Europa,” Acosta argued.

After failing to attend the previous hearing, Garin submitted her counter-affidavit on the 2nd batch of Dengvaxia complaints on Monday.

Meanwhile, international representatives from Sanofi and Zuellig Pharma were directed to submit their respective counter-affidavits on November 15.

The complainants were also ordered to submit their reply on Garin’s counter-affidavit on the same date. – Mai Bermudez

Tags: dengvaxia, Janet Garin, Public Attorneys Office (PAO)

The controversial dengue vaccine, Dengvaxia

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Health (DOH) is set to meet with the Office of the Solicitor General (OSG) next week for the development of the case to be filed against the French pharmaceutical giant, Sanofi Pasteur.

“Regularly naman bawa’t may nakikita tayong ebidenysa katulad ng mga bagong pag-aaral ipinadadala natin sa kanila and we’re meeting with them,” said DOH Usec. Eric Domingo.

Meanwhile, a group of health workers, Aksyon Health Workers party-list appealed to the European Union (EU) and the Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP) to consider first the cases of Dengvaxia vaccinees in the Philippines before giving the accreditation to have it available again in the local market.

The group argued that Europe does not belong to dengue-endemic areas unlike the overseas territories of Carribean, Latin America, Southern Africa and neighboring countries in the Western Pacific Region.

The group together with the Coalition for People’s Right to Health and parents of Dengvaxia vaccinees will also write to the EU to have their appeal be noticed and heard.

“Nakakabahala iyan kasi parang hindi kinonsider kung ano iyong nangyari dito sa Pilipinas na na-vaccinate o nabakunahan iyong 800,000 at merong reported deaths,” said Aksyon president Dr. Joseph Carabeo.

“Tila walang kasiguruhan at ang isa lang talaga na klaro na minamadali nila iyong para ma-recover nila iyong kanilang investment. Paano naman ang kaligtasan at kalusugan ng ating mga anak? May nawalan tayo ng ilang mga anak at the prime of  their life hindi basta-basta na  usapin na ito,” he said.

Meanwhile, there are more than 50 cases being studied by the Dengue Investigative Task Force (DITF) to check the medical records and findings of the vaccinees who died.

Aside from the dengue fast lanes, the DOH is also focusing on putting up dengue centers of excellence in the country to give proper medical care to those infected with dengue, especially the children.

DOH plans to start their operation in 2019 with the help of the world health organization

Dengue centers of excellence will be placed in PGH, San Lazaro Hospital, Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical center in Cebu and in Southern Philippines Medical Center in Davao City. — Aiko Miguel | UNTV News & Rescue

Tags: dengvaxia, Department of Health, Sanofi Pasteur