DOJ WITHDRAWS RAPS VS GARIN, 2 OTHERS OVER DENGVAXIA

THE Department of Justice (DOJ) has withdrawn the 98 counts of reckless imprudence resulting in homicide charges filed against former Department of Health (DOH) secretary and now Iloilo 1st district Rep. Janette Garin Janette Garin and two others in connection with the controversial Dengvaxia vaccine. 

In a resolution signed by DOJ Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla dated January 10, 2025, the prosecutor general was ordered to withdraw the information before the Quezon City Regional Trial Court against Garin, as well as former DOH undersecretary Gerado Bayugo and former DOH assistant secretary Ma. Joyce Ducusin.

“In the scheme of things that transpired involving Dengvaxia, we found that the step-by-step procedures undertaken by the respondents do not exhibit inexcusable lack of precaution to hold them liable,” the DOJ said in a resolution signed by Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla.

Remulla said that after a careful examination of the records, there was no prima facie case with reasonable certainty of conviction against the respondents. 

The DOJ added that the respondents cannot be held liable for conspiring and confederating with one another as there was no malicious intent on their part.

Because of this, DOJ Undersecretary Raul Vasquez said the case, which was filed by the Public Attorney’s Office (PAO), will be re-evaluated.

“The remedy of the complainants may not be the filing of criminal cases,” Vasquez told reporters in an interview Monday.

PAO has alleged that Dengvaxia is responsible for the deaths of a number of children who got inoculated by the vaccine, blaming the drug’s side effects.

Vasquez  said the challenge for the lawyers now “is to craft a legal strategy” that would give assistance to the families of those who perished.

“There could be claims of civil damages kung kanino man,” he said, stressing that he does not want to speculate.

Garin lauded the DOJ for giving justice that according to her is long overdue for public health experts, scientists and the Filipinos who have actually served public health in their personal and in their professional capacity.

“Nakakapanlumo mang sabihin, ‘yung nakaraang administrasyon… pinulitika ang kalusugan, ginamit ito para mawalan ng boses ang mga totoong eksperto, ginamit ito para pantakip sa real issues that were besetting our country,”  Garin said.

Meanwhile, the relatives of the victims, along with officials of the Volunteers Against Crime and Corruption (VACC,  trooped to the DOJ to appeal to Remulla to reverse his decision.

Among the protesters were Analyn Eboña and Teresa Sedilla, whose children Marc-Axl Eboña and Francis Ivan Sedilla died allegedly due to Dengavaxia.

The family of the victims are seeking justice for their loved ones who according to them died after being inoculated with the Dengvaxia vaccine.