Dengvaxia victims’ kin clash with Leni supporters

MANILA, Philippines — The relatives of alleged victims of the controversial anti-dengue vaccine Dengvaxia yesterday had a heated exchange with supporters of Vice President Leni Robredo in front of the Department of Justice (DOJ).

Aileen Teves said Robredo’s supporters allegedly accused her and others who joined the anti-Dengvaxia rally of actually being supporters of former senator Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos, and reportedly bullied them to leave their spot in front of the DOJ, which was holding a hearing on the supposed Dengvaxia deaths, along Padre Faura street.

 Robredo’s supporters, numbering around 600, and the estimated 400 supporters of Marcos were camped on either side of the Supreme Court, which was sitting as the Presidential Electoral Tribunal yesterday and deliberating on the election protest filed by the former senator against the incumbent Vice President.

 Just before noon, the Robredo supporters along Taft Avenue tried to join other supporters camped closer to the DOJ. Instead of passing through the Marcos crowd, the Robredo supporters took the long route and walking along United Nations Avenue.

Teves alleged that the Robredo supporters started shouting at them to leave their space in front of the DOJ.

 Teves said the anti-Dengvaxia protesters, who wore white shirts showing their children who died allegedly after being injected with the vaccine, asked to be allowed to stay an hour longer before ending their demonstration

 Anti-riot police officers stepped in and broke up the shouting match just as the anti-Dengvaxia protesters left the area.