THE DOCTORS who were dragged into the Dengvaxia cases remain hopeful that their pending cases will be dismissed after the dismissal of 98 cases due to the absence of direct casual relationship between the vaccine and the children’s death.

Former health undersecretary Dr. Kenneth Hartigan-Go, an internist clinical pharmacologist toxicologist, Fellow of the Royal College of Physician Edinburgh, Fellow of Institute of Corporate Directors, has expressed gratitude for the “enlightenment” on the case, adding that those “fake experts” should have their licenses cancelled.

“Itong issue ay complicated na even mga kasamahan namin na doctor or mga public health specialists ay naghirap sa pagpaliwanag sa publiko,” Hartigan-Go said.

“Ang mga nanlinlang, nagsinungaling, at nagpanggap na eksperto at nagkalat ng maling informasyon ay dapat tanggalan ng licensiya at paalalahanan ng kanilang ethical obligation,” the former DOH official added.

Hartigan-Go was a member of the World Health Organization (WHO) Advisory committees for Safety of Medicinal Products for a decade and six years in Global Advisory Committee on Vaccine Safety (GACVS), the counterpart committee of WHO Strategic Advisory Group of Experts (SAGE).

“We just have to stick with the facts of the cases that there was no causal evidence linking the vaccine to the deaths,” Dr. Raymund Lo, an American trained pathologist certified by the American and Philippine Boards of Pathology in Anatomic Pathology, Clinical Pathology and Immunopathology, said.

Department of Justice (DOJ) Usec. Raul Vasquez explained that the agency dismissed the 98 Dengvaxia cases as there was no direct causal relationship between the said vaccine and the death of the children, adding that there are “plenty of factors that supported that re-evaluation and re-examination” of the justice department.

“Sa dami kasi, per batch namin ginawa. Nagkataon, nauna itong 98…’yung mga taong ‘yan lang ang nanghingi ng affirmative relief sa batas at sa batas natin, ‘yun lamang mga nanghingi ng affirmative relief ang mabibigyan ng relief,” he furthered.

“Sinabi ng iba, ‘bat kami naiwan?’ Nagkataon lang kasi ‘yung mga kasong nadesisyunan, sila ‘yung mga main respondents at petitioners.”

Moreover, the DOJ official sided with the scientists, saying that the move made by the medical experts during that time was based on science and studies, adding that the doctos “had to do things fast” due to rising number of dengue cases.

In a radio interview, Vasquez emphasized that for the vaccine to be considered a possible factor in the children’s deaths, the interval between the last vaccination and the fatality must not exceed eight days.

“Lahat ng mga scientific evidence na sinumbit para magkaroon ng koneksyon ‘yung isang vaccination yan ay dapat mag-resulta ng pagkamatay within 8 days from the last vaccination,” he said, adding that according to the evidence, some children died three weeks after their Dengvaxia vaccination, while some died after a year.

“Sa batas kasi natin, sa criminal procedure, dapat may cause effect relationship. Be it a criminal negligence or intentional acts merong direct causal relationship,” the DOJ official furthered.

Aside from these, Vasquez also mentioned the absence of proper explanation on why the respondents were negligent in allowing vaccination of Dengvaxia, stressing that most of the pieces of evidence submitted were based on hearsay.

“Hindi ito personality-driven, ito ay base sa ebidensya lamang. At kami ay sumunod sa ebidensya, inaral namin ng mainam at ito ay lumabas na hindi masusuportahan ang present evidence,” he said.

“Lahat ng mga ebidensya ay hearsay evidence. Walang personal knowledge,” the undersecretary pointed out.

The DOJ earlier ordered the Prosecutor General to dismiss the 98 cases against former health secretary and Iloilo First District Representative Janette Garin and other medical professionals.

According to the medical records, one of the children, aged 11 years old, died due to ruptured appendicitis, which was far different from the records released by the Public Attorney’s Office.

With this, the doctors urged parents to be vigilant against ruptured appendicitis, emphasizing the importance of early detection to prevent serious complications.

A ruptured appendicitis is a medical emergency where the appendix bursts due to inflammation caused by appendicitis, releasing its contents into the abdominal cavity, which can lead to a serious infection called peritonitis. The peritonitis leads to a bloodstream infection called sepsis that is very fatal.

The Department of Justice has finally taken action to prevent a serious legal error or potential wrongful conviction, said the medical experts who were criminally held liable for the death of children who were immunized with Dengvaxia.

Doctors Gerardo Bayugo and Ma. Joyce Ducusin was referring to the January 10, 2025 order of Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla to withdraw a two-and-half year resolution which caused the filing of 98 criminal cases against the so-called Dengvaxia doctors.

“The DOJ decision has stopped an unfair legal process and ensure the proper application of the law, and it came at a time when justice was at risk of being denied to us,” said the duo with a sigh of relief.

Iloilo Rep. Janette Garin, also a medical expert who was implicated in the Dengvaxia case, commended the move of Remulla, saying that the decision “reaffirms truth and justice in public health.”

“This decision is a victory for truth, justice, and science. It affirms that public health decisions based on sound evidence and expert guidance cannot be tainted by baseless accusations. Justice has prevailed, and I welcome this ruling with gratitude and renewed commitment,” Garin stressed.

In the resolution, DOJ has directed the Prosecutor General to withdraw the case for Reckless Imprudence Resulting to Homicide against Garin and the two co-respondents, citing insufficient evidence and the lack of a prima facie case.

The DOJ ruling emphasized the absence of a causal link between the Dengvaxia vaccine and the alleged deaths, supported by scientific studies from the World Health Organization and esteemed medical experts. Serious flaws in the forensic reports from the Public Attorney’s Office were also highlighted.

“It’s only in the Philippines that Dengvaxia has been ridiculously accused of ‘causing death.’ Globally, it has been recognized as a safe and effective vaccine that prevents severe dengue and saves lives,” the Iloilo lawmaker remarked.

Garin also expressed concern over the PAO’s ongoing delays in case resolution, using taxpayer money without accountability.

“The case build-up should have been completed long ago, but instead, it is still being prolonged unnecessarily. The PAO continues to delay case resolution, consuming taxpayer money with no accountability.”

Moreover, the former health secretary called for transparency regarding the funds spent on the Dengvaxia cases, adding that the public health has been politicized.

“Much has been spent on the Dengvaxia cases. I call on the Public Attorney’s Office to disclose this information for transparency. These funds should be used instead to assist those who have been unjustly jailed and urgently need support.”

She also urged an end to exploiting grieving parents and stop giving false hope to those who have already lost their children.

“Stop playing on their emotions for personal or political gain. These parents have become victims of political maneuvering instead of being provided genuine support,” Garin ended.

By Liezelle Soriano

MANILA — Justice Assistant Secretary Michelle Anne Lapuz stated Sunday (10 March 2024) that the Department of Justice (DOJ) stands for the rights of women, children, and marginalized sectors of society.

Lapuz also emphasized the gender and development (GAD) vision and mission of the Department, aiming “to achieve a just and peaceful society through the establishment of an effective gender-sensitive, gender-responsive, and child-friendly justice system. A justice system that is accessible to everyone and inclusive.”

“All genders need to work hand-in-hand to change the current paradigm and achieve the ultimate goal of gender equality, eradicating all forms of violence, abuse, and exploitation against women, men, and children,” Lapuz emphasized during her dialogue with the Philippine Information Agency (PIA).

The Assistant Secretary also outlined various programs of the DOJ aimed at intensifying the empowerment of women and combating violence against women and children (VAWC), along with other forms of abuse and exploitation.

Furthermore, Lapuz expressed optimism about establishing a partnership with the PIA to communicate the Department’s agenda and messages to grassroots levels of society.

“Communication plays a significant role because if we fail to deliver the message to those who need to hear it, we cannot prompt action from them,” Lapuz emphasized.

(el Amigo/MNM)

Image Courtesy of Benjie Cuaresma

By Benjie Cuaresma

THE Commission on Elections (Comelec) and the Department of Justice (DOJ) have forged an agreement to vigorously pursue and prosecute individuals involved in vote-buying during the upcoming barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections (BSKE).

JOINT FORCE. Commission on Elections Chairperson George Erwin Garcia (left) and Department of Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla show to the media the copy of their offices entered into, an agreement to go after vote-buyers in the Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections at the DOJ office in Manila on Monday (Sept. 25, 2023). Remulla said prosecutors nationwide will be on duty to accept complaints on Oct. 30, election day. (Photo by Benjie Cuaresma)

Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla announced that prosecutors nationwide will be on standby to receive complaints on election day, October 30.

“The fiscals will be readily available to handle potential cases,” he informed the media during the signing of the “Kontra Bigay” memorandum of agreement at the DOJ office in Manila. He emphasized the importance of having witnesses since many instances of vote-buying involve electronic wallets rather than physical cash transactions.

Remulla clarified that there is no conflict between this initiative and a recent DOJ directive to thoroughly review all charge sheets submitted to prosecutors to ensure that only complaints with a reasonable chance of conviction proceed to court. Complete and substantial sworn statements from witnesses could turn many cases into “open-and-shut” scenarios.

Comelec Chairperson George Erwin Garcia expressed confidence in the effectiveness of measures such as warrantless arrests for individuals engaged in vote-buying and red-flags such as the transportation of large sums of cash and giveaways as effective deterrents.

To date, Comelec has received 23 complaints related to vote-buying. The practice of “flying voters” (voters transported to different voting areas) has diminished significantly due to the adoption of modern voter identification systems, Garcia added.

The campaign period for the BSKE is set from October 19 to 28.

Following the closure of the candidacy filing period on September 4, Comelec reported a total of 1,414,487 aspirants, comprising 96,962 candidates for punong barangay (village captain), 731,682 for members of the Sangguniang Barangay (village council), 92,774 aspirants for Sangguniang Kabataan (youth council) chair, and 493,069 for Sangguniang Kabataan council positions. (ai/mnm)

MANILA – The Department of Justice (DOJ) on Saturday clarified that the additional documents that may be asked of outbound travelers are not intended to hinder the rights of Filipinos to travel.

At the Saturday News Forum in Quezon City, DOJ spokesperson Mico Clavano said the new departure rules serve as added layers to curb trafficking in person (TIP).

Additional documents would be required if the immigration officer detects “red flags,” hinting that the traveler is a potential human trafficking victim or a perpetrator, Clavano said.

“Iyong ibang additional documents na posibleng hingin, doon lang po hihingin ng immigration officers kapag mayroon nakitang mga red flag – kung nakakaduda po iyong kuwento ng ating mga traveler, kung insufficient po iyong mga document or makikitang peke po iyong mga dokumento (As for the other documents, the only time the immigration officers will ask for them is if they see a red flag – if the response of the traveler is suspicious, if the documents are insufficient or if they detect that the document is fake),” he said.

Still, he advised first-time travelers and overseas workers to prepare the additional documents based on their categories in the Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking’s (IACAT) 2023 revised departure guidelines for international-bound Filipino passengers.

“Kapag hindi satisfied iyong immigration officer sa primary inspection, doon ka lang iri-refer sa secondary inspection. Hindi pa po iyon investigation. For further questioning pa iyon para po makita talaga lahat ng dokumento (If the immigration officer is not satisfied during the primary inspection, that’s the time you will be referred for secondary inspection. It’s not an investigation but to allow the officer to see the other documents),” he said.

Clavano said 39,061 passengers were referred for secondary inspection from Jan. 1 to May 15, at least 13,764 of whom had their departures deferred.

He said IACAT did not change the process in the 2023 revised guidelines, particularly with the presentation of required basic travel documents.

Intensified fight vs. TIP

Clavano said President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. himself has given specific instructions to maintain the country’s Tier 1 ranking in the State Department TIP report.

“That means he will support all the facets and all the programs that the IACAT has already put in place and he would like to enhance those programs,” he said.

He said the DOJ gave Marcos a situation report on the severity of human trafficking and he understood “very clearly the depth and how widespread this problem is.”

Aside from issuing the 2023 revised guidelines, the government is working with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations through coordination meetings and summits to strengthen cooperation against the transnational crime.

The Philippines was placed under Tier 1 ranking in the 2023 United States TIP report, a status the country has kept for eight consecutive years.

Tier 1, the highest in the three-tier ranking, indicates that a country “fully meets the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking.” (PNA)