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Garin denies ‘mafia’ allegation, threatens libel vs. ex-DOH consultant


Former Health secretary Janette Garin on Saturday denounced as a "big lie" the plunder accusations against her and at other health officials.

"This is a big lie! I categorically deny any wrongdoing as former DOH Sec. and as a public servant. I always did what was best for the Department to fulfill its mandate," Garin said in a text message.

Garin threatened to file a libel complaint against her accuser Dr. Francis Cruz, a former consultant of the Department of Health during the time of former secretary Paulyn Ubial.

"I will definitely stop him if he is intending to destroy the DOH (Department of Health) as an institution even if I have to file a libel case against him," she said.

She added that her lawyer is already studying the possibility of filing a libel complaint against Cruz.

Garin questioned the motives of Cruz, who bared the operations of an alleged "mafia" or a group of high-ranking incumbent and former DOH officials who supposedly made profits out of DOH transactions.

Cruz bared at a news forum a supposed "mafia" within the DOH that allegedly profited from multi-billion peso projects, including the P3.5-billion Dengvaxia deal.

"His motivation in hurling these unsubstantiated accusations against career DOH officials is very questionable. If indeed he knows of anomalies in the DOH, why did he not file cases in court or the Ombudsman?" Garin said.

She said she does not know Cruz and "can't remember working with him."

The former health chief, who is in hot water for her involvement in the purchase of the controversial dengue vaccine Dengvaxia in 2016, wondered why Cruz took to the media to air his allegations.

"Why is he maligning the reputation of so many DOH officials in media? Is it because his appointment as Usec of DOH under Sec. Ubial is no longer possible?" she said. —ALG, GMA News

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