DOJ to start probe into Dengvaxia complaints

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Justice will start its preliminary probe into criminal complaints over deaths linked to the controversial anti-dengue vaccine Dengvaxia on Tuesday.

State prosecutors sent summonses to Ramil Pestilos, Liza Maquilan, Ian Colite, Almer Bautista, Elena Baldonado and Ariel Hedia— parents who claim their children died due to Dengvaxia—to attend a hearing at the DOJ on Tuesday morning.

The families were assisted by the Public Attorney’s Office when they filed complaints of reckless imprudence resulting in multiple homicide and violations of the anti-torture law against former Health Secretary Janette Garin, incumbent Health Secretary Francisco Duque, and other officials of the Department of Health. Also named in the complaints were executives of pharmaceutical giant Sanofi Pasteur, Inc.

READ: Families claim Dengvaxia deaths

The complainants are parents whose children allegedly died due to multiple organ failure. They said that their children were injected with the anti-dengue vaccine and that this led to the deaths.

The PAO has filed at least six batches of criminal complaints over the controversial vaccine, which Sanofi said last November carried risks for those who had not previously been infected with dengue.

The three-member panel of prosecutors that will conduct the preliminary investigation on the case are Senior Assistant State Prosecutors Ma. Emilia Victorio and Assistant State Prosecutors Christine Perolino and Susan Azarcon.

A hearing was also set on May 24, also at 10:00 a.m.

Duque earlier said that he would ask President Rodrigo Duterte for the “course of action” to take against PAO Chief Persida Acosta, whom he claimed has made a “circus” of the Dengvaxia issue.

Malacañang last week said that it will create a three-member team of foreign health experts to conduct a deeper probe on whether the vaccine is the cause of the reported deaths of children vaccinated with Dengvaxia.

READ: Palace taps team of experts to probe Dengvaxia controversy