PAO to file criminal, civil, admin raps in relation to Dengvaxia

The Public Attorney's Office (PAO) on Monday said that it will file criminal, civil and administrative charges in February over the Dengvaxia situation.

PAO chief Persida Acosta said that almost 300 families whose children were given doses of the dengue vaccine had expressed willingness to file charges.

"Nasa panahon pa tayo ng case build-up. May order si Secretary [Vitaliano] Aguirre na kami ang hahawak ng civil, administrative at criminal cases ng mga namatay na at maging yung mga buhay pa. Ang magulang, handa sila magkaso ayon sa kanila," she told reporters in an ambush interview.

Acosta did not disclose who the charges will be filed against, but hinted that those responsible for the implementation of the immunization program will be included.

"Pero may mga idea na kami kung sinong responsable, so sa civil case sasama natin yung talagang may kaugnayan sa pagpapahintulot nito, kung sino yung promotor dito," she said.

"Hiwalay 'yung plunder, ang plunder kasi VACC [Volunteers Against Crime and Corruption] ang bahala diyan, 'yung plunder kasi anti-corruption sila pero 'yung civil cases arising from damages and negligence PAO po ang magfa-file niyan, pati yung administrative case sa PRC [Professional Regulation Commission] kung merong mga doktor na involved diyan na sila po ang naging dahilan kung bakit bumili nito at sinaksak sa mga bata," she added.

Asked how "strong" the evidence the PAO will present, Acosta said that the advisory issued by Dengvaxia manufacturer Sanofi Pasteur against giving it to those who were not previously exposed to dengue would also be included.

"Malakas, kasi yung sinabi ng Sanofi, may hindi dapat isaksak sa hindi pa nade-dengue isang ebidensya na 'yon, declaration ng Sanofi. Bakit sinaksak, mass vaccination, walang screening," Acosta said.

"Sa kanila mismo nanggaling ang ebidensya na hindi dapat saksak dito, saksak doon, dapat may screening," she added.

The Department of Health stopped the government's dengue immunization program on December 1 following Sanofi Pasteur’s announcement that the vaccine may increase the risk of hospitalization for dengue and severe dengue in those with no prior infection.

More than 830,000 children aged 9 and above from public schools in Metro Manila, Central Luzon, Calabarzon, and Cebu were vaccinated with Dengvaxia according to DOH.

The DOH already formed an expert panel of doctors from the University of the Philippines-Philippine General Hospital who will review the cases of 14 children to see if their deaths were related to the controversial vaccine.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA), meanwhile, has already imposed administrative sanctions against Sanofi Pasteur, ordering Dengvaxia's certificate of product registration suspended and fining the firm P100,000. — BM, GMA News