ILOILO City – Former Department of Health (DOH) secretary and now Iloilo 1st District congresswoman Janette Garin maintained that Dengvaxia, the world’s first licensed dengue vaccine, was safe for use.
In a statement over the weekend, Garin said, “Science has proven that the vaccine (Dengvaxia) did not and could not cause deaths.”
She lamented that “Only in the Philippines we believe dramatic lawyers and fake pathologists over real doctors and scientists.”
The legislator likewise urged the public not to demonize vaccines, saying “In this time of pandemic, our only hope for returning to normal is the development of a vaccine.”
Late Friday, reports spread that a Quezon City court had issued a warrant for the arrest of Garin and three executives of Sanofi Pasteur, Inc. – the manufacturer of Dengvaxia.
But the lawmaker, who was Health Secretary from December 2014 until June 2016, was quick to reject these.
“No warrant of arrest has been issued,” Garin pointed out.
She said these reports were “another attempt to mislead and condition the public’s mind.”
The first batch of Dengvaxia complaints against her, she added, has been dismissed, while one court has yet to hand down its decision.
The Court document also noted that the bail bonds posted before Muntinlupa City; Imus, Cavite and other courts were already considered filed before the Quezon City court.
“If the Court missed my records, I will furnish them a copy of my documents,” Garin said.
She also stressed: “Walang katotohanan na kami o ako ay pinapahuli sapagkat sumusunod ang ating mga korte at mga hukom sa proseso ng tunay na hustisya.”
Public Attorney’s Office chief Persida Acosta, who led the filing of charges against Garin, said the court would issue an arrest warrant for Garin if she fails to post bail.
“Sinasabi kasi ng judge dito, may probable cause eh. Ang sabi, ‘Wherefore probable cause exists to issue warrant of arrest to all accused.’ Yun ang dispositive,” Acosta told ABS-CBN’s TeleRadyo on Sunday.
Acosta, meantime, said some 100 families on Tuesday would file fresh charges after their children died supposedly in relation with Dengvaxia.
“Wala pong umuurong dito sa mga pamilya na nagsampa ng kaso sa Department of Justice. Sa araw ng Martes po…mahigit 100 pamilya ang magrereklamo sa Dengvaxia dahil namatayan sila ng anak,” she said.
In late 2017, the government stopped its nationwide dengue vaccination program and pulled Dengvaxia off the market after drugmaker Sanofi warned that the vaccine might cause severe symptoms if given to those who did not have prior exposure to the mosquito-borne disease./PN
