Acting prosecutor general asked to inhibit from Dengvaxia raps

The parents of children who allegedly died due to the effects of dengue vaccine Dengvaxia have asked the acting prosecutor general to inhibit from further proceedings in their criminal complaints against former Health secretary Janette Garin and several other officials.

In a motion filed Thursday, the complainants sought OIC-Prosecutor General Richard Anthony Fadullon's inhibition over his approval of the prosecution's filing of an amended charge against the personalities the Department of Justice had indicted for reckless imprudence resulting in homicide in connection with eight of more than 30 alleged vaccine-linked deaths.

From the original two counts, the amended information charges only one count of the crime against all of the accused in connection with the deaths of minors Aejay Bautista and Jansyn Art Bataan, their parents said in the motion.

"It is our position that there are as many crimes for reckless imprudence as the number of dead children," the motion stated, arguing that the alleged cause of death -- Dengvaxia vaccination -- is the same, but separate, and should lead to two separate cases.

"Had the Honorable OIC-Prosecutor General not approved the said Amended Information, on the basis of the same Resolution dated Feb. 11, 2019, the same could not have been filed in court," the motion said.

During a Thursday press conference, some parents insinuated Fadullon had been bribed.

Fadullon denied the accusations, calling them "absurd" and "incredible" as he said he has never interacted with any of the parties in the Dengvaxia complaints. 

He said the preliminary investigation of the dozens of complaints is handled by separate panels of prosecutors, whose recommendations are subject for his approval.

"While I commiserate with the victims for their loss, they should exercise caution and prudence before making baseless accusations," he said in a text message to reporters. "If the private complaints or the PAO have any iota of proof that I received any bribe, they should come forward with their evidence."

"If it were really true that bribes were indeed paid, why would we indict the respondents just the same? I challenge the complainants and the PAO to substantiate their accusations, as I reserve the right to file charges against them if these frivolous charges prove untrue," he added. — RSJ, GMA News