VACC sues Aquino, officials for plunder over Dengvaxia mess

MANILA, Philippines — Former President Benigno Aquino III and current and former government officials were slapped on Thursday with a fresh batch of complaint in connection with the P3.5-billion anti-dengue immunization program.

Volunteers Against Crime and Corruption lawyer Ferdinand Topacio filed before the Office of the Ombudsman plunder, malversation of public funds and violation of the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act complaint against Aquino.

Topacio with copies of VACC’s plunder, malversation & graft complaint vs Aquino et al, including voluminous documentary exhibits @PhilippineStar pic.twitter.com/rHmtsEFyyR

— Elizabeth T. Marcelo (@marcelo_beth) May 10, 2018

Other respondents in the VACC complaint were former Budget Secretary Florencio Abad, former Executive Secretary Paquito Ochoa Jr. and former Health secretary Janette Garin.

Eighteen incumbent and former DOH officials were also named as respondents.

Last December 2017, former Technical Education and Skills Development Authority Augusto Syjuco Jr. sued Aquino and Garin for mass murder and plunder before the Ombudsman.

VACC had filed a separate complaint for graft, malversation of public funds, causing undue injuries and violations of the procurement law against Aquino, Abad, Garin, along with current and former DOH officials and executives of pharmaceutical firms Sanofi Pasteur and Zuellig before the Department of Justice last February.

The same group also accused Aquino of “electioneering” before the Commission on Elections for allegedly spending government funds during the election ban in 2016.

The Dengvaxia controversy caused panic among parents last year when Sanofi announced that its vaccine could cause a more severe form of disease for those who had not yet contracted it.

This has led to several congressional inquiries in both the Senate and the House where Aquino testified to defend the controversial program. - with reports from Elizabeth Marcelo