By Genalyn D. Kabiling
President Duterte has taken a “calm” and “rational” approach in seeking the truth and accountability on the controversial anti-dengue vaccination program, Malacañang said yesterday.
Presidential spokesman Harry Roque tried to fend off speculations that the President has rushed to politicize the investigation into the dengue vaccine Dengvaxia.
“If it is, it is certainly not because of the President. The President has taken a very calm, a very rational approach to this,” Roque said during a Palace news conference when asked to comment on former President Benigno S. Aquino III’s observation that the Dengvaxia investigation has become highly politicized by some people.
“He has a made declaration that he understands why previous administration decided to use Dengvaxia having been a victim of dengue himself,” he added.
Nonetheless, Roque noted that the President expects the National Bureau of Investigation to complete its investigation into the controversial anti-dengue immunization program.
“His continuing order is for the investigation, the NBI to continue and conclude it so we will find out if people should be criminally liable,” he said.
The President has said he was not prepared to condemn anyone on the dengue program, believing it was implemented in good faith. Duterte said if he was President then, he would have also implemented the program unless he was advised about the risks of the drug.
