Charges to be recommended against former president Aquino over Dengvaxia vaccine

The Senate panel investigating the controversial anti-dengue Dengvaxia vaccine project will recommend that charges be brought against former president Benigno Aquino 3rd and two of his cabinet members, The Manila Times Online reported on Friday (March 23).

Senate Committee on Health and Demography Committee head Senator Joseph Victor “JV” Ejercito said his panel and the committee led by Senator Richard Gordon had concluded there was a haste in the decision of the Aquino administration to procure the vaccine from French pharmaceutical giant Sanofi Pasteur.

“One thing is certain, and the timeline says it all that it was done in haste,” said Ejercito.

He said the Senate panels that probed the vaccine controversy were also firm in making sure that those who would be found liable should face the consequences.

Besides former president Aquino, the panel will recommend the filing of technical malversation and negligence complaints against former budget secretary Florencio Abad and former health secretary Janette Garin.

Ejercito said the committee’s report would be submitted to the plenary upon the resumption of session in May.

He pointed out that because of the apparent haste, the health of 830,000 children inoculated with the vaccine was placed at risk.