PUBLIC ATTORNEY’S Office (PAO) chief Persida V. Rueda-Acosta on Thursday included Health Secretary Francisco T. Duque III in the charges she had earlier filed against former health secretary Janette L. Garin, officials of Sanofi Pasteur, Inc. and Zuellig Pharma Corp. and several others in connection with the reported deaths attributed to the Dengvaxia vaccine program.
Also included in the charges of reckless imprudence resulting in homicide and violation of the Anti-Torture Act of 2009, filed at the Department of Justice, were Maria Lourdes C. Santiago and Melody Zamudio of the Food and Drug Administration.
According to Ms. Rueda-Acosta, Mr. Duque was included in the complaint because of the death of 13-year old Abbie A. Hedia, who was inoculated on Nov. 17, 2017, 10 days after Mr. Duque’s appointment as health secretary.
“Wala po kaming masamang intensyon sa kanino man…. Ang amin lamang ay mabigyan ng hustisya ang mga batang namatay matapos mabakunahan (We are not singling out any person…. We only want justice for these children who died after they were inoculated),” Ms. Rueda-Acosta told reporters.
Mr. Duque, when sought for comment, confirmed the date of his appointment. He said in an interview described Ms. Acosta’s action as being “full of malice” and said the complaint was an attempt to “sabotage the Department of Health.”
“This is harassment,” he added.
He also said it was former health secretary Paulyn B. Rosell-Ubial who restarted the vaccination program and extended it to communities. Mr. Duque said he stopped the program on Nov. 29, that same month he assumed office.
When asked if he would take action, Mr. Duque said he would but declined to give details.
Meanwhile, Senate Minority Leader Franklin M. Drilon on Thursday objected to the Senate blue-ribbon committee’s draft report on the Dengvaxia controversy, which recommended the filing of graft charges against former president Benigno S.C. Aquino III, Ms. Garin, and former budget secretary Florencio B. Abad.
“Upon careful review of the draft report, I would like to inform you that I disagree with its findings, conclusions and recommendations,” Mr. Drilon said in a letter, along with his 30-page dissenting vote, to the committee chair Senator Richard J. Gordon
Mr. Drilon is the second senator who has said he will not sign the draft committee report released by Mr. Gordon last Apr. 11. Senator Panfilo M. Lacson earlier said he has no intention to sign the report, noting Mr. Gordon’s “prejudgements” during the Senate hearings.
“He was directing the investigation to suit the outcome that he had desired from the very start,” Mr. Lacson said.
For his part, Mr. Drilon said he found no basis to recommend the filing of graft charges, adding that declaring the mentioned officials as guilty at this point reinforced the “politicization” of a public health concern.
No conclusive evidence was also found in the Senate hearings to support that the reported deaths were connected to Dengvaxia, he added.
On the other hand, nine senators from the committee reportedly signed the draft report, including Senators Sherwin T. Gatchalian and Nancy S. Binay who confirmed their signing to reporters.
Mr. Gordon has said the draft report will be presented to the plenary once Congress resumes session on May. — D.A.M. Enerio, with Camille A. Aguinaldo

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