DOJ dismisses 98 Dengvaxia complaints

JUSTICE Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla has dismissed the 98 complaints regarding Dengvaxia-related deaths. The dismissal enraged a group of parents whose children's deaths were linked to the controversial dengue vaccine, In a Jan. 10 resolution, a copy of which was obtained by The Manila Times, Remulla said that based on studies by the World Health Organization (WHO) and other experts, the deaths could not be attributed to the vaccine. He cited the claim of Dr. Scott Halstead, who said during a Senate blue ribbon committee that the cause of death could not be determined by the findings of an autopsy. Another expert, Dr. Raymundo W. Lo, said that viscerotropism and neurotropism "are terms that cannot be attributed to a deceased person, but only to a live human subject because the effects to be observed can be seen in living persons," Remulla said. He said the Philippine General Hospital Dengue Investigative Task Force recommended further investigation to confirm if the vaccine caused the death of the children. The complaints were based on self-serving hearsay and unreliable evidence made during the joint hearings of the Senate blue ribbon committee, the Committee on Health and Demography and Finance, he said. "The PAO (Public Attorney's Office) reports and forensic examination reports are self-serving, as the same people who prepared the reports are representing the complainants as counsels. The witnesses do not have personal knowledge of facts and circumstances relevant to the case," Remulla said. He said Dr. Erwin Erfe, PAO's deputy chief attorney and the agency's Forensics Laboratory Division director, and independent health advocate Dr. Anthony Leachon cannot be considered experts "because they have never conducted an independent and rigorous study of the Dengvaxia vaccine nor have they published any works in a reputable medical journal concerning the vaccine." Samahan ng mga Magulang ang mga Anak ay Biktima ng Dengvaxia (SMABD) President Sumachen Dominguez was shocked by Remulla's resolution and said something must have forced Remulla to dismiss the case against former health secretary and now Iloilo Rep. Janette Garin and other co-accused. "Is it not enough that hundreds of innocent schoolchildren and some adults died simultaneously when they were inoculated with Dengvaxia, which was banned by former president Rodrigo Duterte in 2017 as a result?" Dominguez said in Filipino. Dengvaxia manufacturer Sanofi Pasteur Inc. even issued a warning over health risks for those who had not contracted dengue before they received a Dengvaxia shot, she said. "The PAO Forensics team led by Dr. Erfe only confirmed the warning of Sanofi based on autopsies it did on dead schoolchildren," said Dominguez, whose child was one the few who survived after being vaccinated with Dengvaxia. "Since the vaccine was under clinical trials when the mass vaccination was carried out by Garin and other DOH's attached agencies, including the Philippine Children's Medical Center, the SMAB head said no real expert could attest to the safety of Dengvaxia "even from the side of Garin and DOH during her time as its chief," Dominguez said. "Who is this DOJ secretary who now acted as if he was a doctor and an expert when he outrightly dismissed the Dengvaxia complaints and worse when he was claiming that Garin should not be held responsible?" she said. State prosecutors were reportedly about to file the complaints before the Quezon City court when Remulla issued a resolution dismissing them. The SMBAD and the Volunteers against Crime and Corruption, which referred the cases to PAO, said it would hold a rally today, Jan. 27, at the Department of Justice in Manila to protest the resolution. The PAO will file a motion for reconsideration before the DOJ.