Palace wants accountability in Dengvaxia mess

MANILA, Philippines — Those who committed wrongdoing that led to the Dengvaxia vaccine mess should be made accountable even if the previous administration meant well when it administered the vaccine, Malacañang said yesterday. 

Presidential Communications Secretary Martin Andanar said those who erred should not be allowed to escape accountability because Filipinos who received the vaccine are not guinea pigs. 

“What is important here is… those who are accountable should be accountable. The 800,000 people who received the vaccine is no joke. Even if the government meant well, let’s say the past administration, there must be accountability,” Andanar told radio station dzMM.

“If in the future, there is a mistake in the purchase of vaccines for dengue or other ailments, nobody will be accountable? That can’t be. Filipinos are not guinea pigs right?” he added. 

The Dengvaxia vaccine implemented during the Aquino administration stirred controversy after it was found that it may have placed those who have not had been sick with dengue fever at risk of contracting a more dangerous strain.

The past administration spent P3.5 billion to purchase the vaccines from French pharmaceutical firm Sanofi Pasteur.

Thousands of students from Central Luzon, Calabarzon and National Capital Region received the vaccine. 

The administration has been accused of implementing the vaccine program even if studies on its safety had not been completed.

Former president Benigno Aquino III told a Senate hearing last week that nobody had opposed the rollout of the vaccine program, which he said was meant to ensure the safety of Filipinos amid the rising number of dengue cases.

Defending his administration’s vaccine program, Aquino stressed that it was the government’s obligation to ensure the safety of its citizens. 

Aquino also said he was made to understand that the Dengvaxia vaccine hurdled international and local processes meant to ensure its safety and efficacy. 

Sen. Joseph Victor Ejercito accused the officials of the past administration of going behind Congress’ back when it quietly and quickly realigned P3.5 billion in the 2015 national budget to rush the purchase of three million doses of Dengvaxia vaccine that was not authorized by the legislature.

In December 2015, former budget secretary Florencio Abad recommended to then president Aquino to realign P3.5 billion from the Miscellaneous Personnel and Benefits Fund (MPBF) for the purchase of the Dengvaxia vaccines.

The fund was released that same month, which Ejercito said was way too fast even for what the previous administration claimed to be an emergency purchase.

Abad told the Senate inquiry that Malacañang has the power to realign savings in the budget. In this case, the fund was found in the MPBF.

But Ejercito found Abad’s explanation unacceptable.

“I’m not convinced with their (Abad) explanation. I cannot accept that with such a huge amount, they did not inform Congress,” said Ejercito, who chairs the Senate committee that is jointly conducting an inquiry with the Blue Ribbon committee into the controversy.

“I don’t think that anybody from Congress was aware of these transactions or would be transactions. We’re not a rich country, so the people must know where their tax money goes,” he added.

Ejercito said Abad and other Cabinet officials involved could be held liable for technical malversation at the very least.

The senator also said it appeared that Aquino may have acted in good faith and relied on the advice of Abad and other officials.

 Andanar said the government would seek a refund from Sanofi after the investigations are completed. 

“We still have unused vials. They have to be refunded.  

With Paolo Romero, Delon Porcalla