Lacson won’t sign Dengvaxia report due to Gordon’s ‘unreasonable statements’

Senator Panfilo Lacson on Monday said he will not sign the Senate blue ribbon committee's report on the Dengvaxia controversy following Senator Richard Gordon's "unreasonable statements."

"Senator Gordon's unreasonable statements, ascribing motive in my earlier comment about ex-president [Benigno] Aquino [III] has firmed up my decision not to sign his committee report," Lacson said in a text message.

Lacson was referring to Gordon's statement that seemed to suggest that he is pro-Aquino, who is accused of conniving with his health and budget secretaries to approve the P3.5-billion Dengvaxia vaccine purchase and mass vaccination.

Lacson has said that he finds it difficult to believe that Aquino is capable of graft and corruption. 

Reading from the draft committee report last week, Gordon said Aquino, former Budget secretary Florencio Abad, former Health secretary Janette Garin, and other officials are "primary conspirators" and must be held criminally liable for "all the tragedy, damage, and possible deaths" resulting from the Dengvaxia mass vaccination program.

Gordon added that Aquino, Garin, Abad and other government officials should be investigated and prosecuted for graft and violation of the Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employees.

Lacson said that while he did not attend a single hearing on the Dengvaxia issue "for obvious reasons shared by most of my colleagues, I was closely monitoring the proceedings in my office."

He added that even from the start, he already had reservations based on Gordon's "foregone conclusion" which he said was too obvious to ignore.

"Hence, he was unilaterally directing the investigation to suit the outcome that he had desired from the very start," Lacson said, referring to Gordon.

According to Gordon, among those who already signed the draft report were Majority Leader Vicente Sotto and Senator Juan Miguel Zubiri.

Senator JV Ejercito, health committee chairman, said that he already signed the report but he does not agree that Aquino was one of the main conspirators.

In a separate interview Monday, Senator Nancy Binay said she already signed the report but she intends to interpellate and propose amendments once it is tackled in the plenary.

"Sa akin ‘yung committee report, it's not yet the final report. I mean, pagdedebatehan at pag-uusapan pa 'yan at ide-defend pa 'yan sa floor. So hintayin na lang natin 'yung magiging deliberation na magaganap sa floor,” she said. —KBK, GMA News