By Jeffrey G. Damicog
Former President Benigno S. Aquino III yesterday asked the Department of Justice to dismiss the criminal complaint filed against him and his co-respondents over the P3.5-billion purchase of the anti-dengue vaccine Dengvaxia.
In his 27-page counter-affidavit, Aquino pointed out there was nothing anomalous about the purchase and that there is no evidence to prove that Dengvaxia has been the cause of deaths of a number of children in the country.
Aquino pointed out that “the procurement process was aboveboard and within the timelines prescribed by Republic Act 9184 (Government Procurement Act) as determined by the DoH report.”
“Finally, the dengue vaccine passed all required clinical trials, was found to be safe, and effective and there were no reported adverse or ill-effects at the time of its approval, launch, and implementation,” Aquino added.
The former President cited that “fact-finding investigation relative to the matter are still ongoing, and medical experts have, in fact, categorically declared that to date, there has not been any definitive finding that the deaths were directly caused by the administration of Dengvaxia vaccine.”
Aquino and his co-respondents, including former Budget Secretary Florencio Abad and former Health Secretary Janette Garin, appeared at the DoJ yesterday at the continuation of the preliminary investigation on the complaint filed by two anti-crime advocacy groups over Dengvaxia.
