DOJ investigates 2nd batch of complaints on alleged Dengvaxia-related deaths

The Department of Justice (DOJ) has started preliminary investigation into the second batch of criminal complaints against Health officials over deaths allegedly linked to the dengue vaccine Dengvaxia.

A panel of prosecutors headed by Senior Assistant State Prosecutor Susan Dacanay held a hearing on Monday. And Public Attorney’s Office chief Persida Rueda-Acosta told GMA News Online the next hearing will be at 10 a.m. on Tuesday for the complainants to subscribe to the complaint-affidavits.

The eight sets of complainants—parents of children who died allegedly after receiving Dengvaxia shots—accused former Health Secretary Janette Garin and other former and incumbent department officials of reckless imprudence resulting in homicide and violation of the Consumer Act and the law against torture.

Also named respondents are “corporate directors and/or officers” of Dengvaxia maker Sanofi Pasteur Inc. and local distributor Zuellig Pharma.

The complainants are Fausta Gasilla, Romeo and Virginia Cariño, Manuel and Kristina Ramirez, Erwin and Lyngin Alcantara, Nelson and Marivic de Guzman, Philip and Leny Leabres, Rowena Villegas, and Fredeswinda Jajalla-Nimura.

They form a separate group apart from the nine groups of parents with similar complaints against similar offenses against the same respondents. Their complaints are handled by another panel of government prosecutors.

The probe is expected to conclude on October 30. 

The complaints stem from findings of the Public Attorney’s Office forensic team that the autopsies of alleged Dengvaxia casualties consistently revealed bleeding of the internal organs, extensive and severe hemorrhage of the brain, and enlargement of the organs.

Garin previously said the complaints against her in connection with the alleged Dengvaxia-linked deaths have “no scientific basis.”

Sanofi announced last year that its analysis showed that “in the longer term, more cases of severe disease could occur following vaccination upon a subsequent dengue infection” for people who have not been infected by the dengue virus before they received the Dengvaxia shots. —VDS, GMA News