Criminal complaints have been filed before the Department of Justice (DOJ) against officials of the Department of Health (DOH) and executives from two private corporations for the death of four children inoculated with the Dengvaxia vaccine.
Facing four separate complaints for reckless imprudence resulting in homicide and violation of the Anti-Torture Act of 2009 is former Health Secretary Janette L. Garin.
Also named in the complaint are Drs. Vicente Belizario Jr., Kenneth Hartigan-Go, Gerardo Bayugo, Lyndon Lee Suy, Irma L. Asuncion, Julius A. Lecciones, Joyce Ducusin, Rosalind Vianzon, and Mario Baquilod. Based on the complaint, they allegedly “actively participated in the purchase of Dengvaxia and/or spearheaded the implementation of the anti-dengue mass vaccination program of the DOH.”
Included in the complaint are Drs. Socorro P. Lupisan and Maria Rosario Z. Capeding from the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine (RITM) which was involved in the Phase III clinical trial of Dengvaxia.
Complainants are parents and relatives of the four children — Aejay O. Bautista, Anjielica M. Pestilos, Lenard Ladi Baldonado and Zandro N. Colite, who are all possible victims of Dengvaxia related injuries and illnesses. They are represented by the Public Attorneys’ Office (PAO).
They also included in the complaint the corporate directors and officers of Sanofi Pasteur Inc. and Zuellig Pharma Corporation. Sanofi is the manufacturer of the Dengvaxia vaccine while Zuellig Pharma is its local distributor.