MANILA – The Department of Justice (DOJ) has withdrawn 98 charges of reckless imprudence resulting in homicide against former Department of Health (DOH) secretary Janette Garin, related to the Dengvaxia vaccine.
In a resolution dated January 10, 2025, the prosecutor general was instructed to withdraw the charges before the Quezon City Regional Trial Court against Garin and her co-respondents, Dr. Gerardo Bayugo and Dr. Ma. Joyce Ducusin.
“In the scheme of things that transpired involving Dengvaxia, we found that the step by step procedures undertaken by respondents-appellants, leading to the implementation of the program, do not exhibit inexcusable lack of precaution to hold them liable for reckless imprudence resulting to homicide,” said DOJ secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla said.
He emphasized that a thorough review of the case records revealed no prima facie evidence that would support a reasonable likelihood of conviction against the respondents.
The DOJ further clarified that the respondents could not be deemed liable for conspiracy, as there was no evidence of malicious intent on their part.
Additionally, the department highlighted that the officials involved had valid reasons to trust the Certificate of Product Registration issued by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for Dengvaxia, as well as the results of the clinical trials associated with the vaccine.
Remulla noted that prior to the procurement and distribution of Dengvaxia, a comprehensive bidding process was conducted in compliance with existing regulations.
The DOJ also asserted that it could not be proven that there was a causal relationship between the vaccination of schoolchildren with Dengvaxia and the fatalities mentioned in the complaint-affidavit of the victims.
“Extensive scientific research conducted by the World Health Organization and other reputable experts indicates a contrary conclusion regarding any causal link,” Remulla stated.
The Aquino administration launched a nationwide immunization initiative in the summer of 2016, allocating P3.5 billion for Dengvaxia vaccines intended for one million public school students in areas identified as having the highest rates of dengue fever.
However, DOH suspended the program in December 2017 following a statement from Sanofi Pasteur, which indicated that the vaccine could elevate the risk of severe dengue in individuals who had not previously been infected with the mosquito-borne virus. At that point, more than 800,000 school children had already received the vaccine./PN
