By Jeffrey Damicog
How will the complainants react to the denials made by Health Secretary Francisco Duque III, former Health Secretary Janette Garin, and their co-respondents on their liabilities in the alleged Dengvaxia-related deaths?
Relatives of the victims attend the Senate hearing on the Dengvaxia controversy in Pasay city, March 13, 2018.
(Czar Dancel / MANILA BULLETIN)
Find out on Thursday when the third batch of Dengvaxia complainants file their respective replies to the counter-affidavits of Duque and company. They will be represented by the Public Attorney’s Office (PAO).
The third batch of complaints concerns the deaths of 13 persons who got inoculated with the experimental anti-dengue vaccine, namely: Senior Police Officer 2 Vicente Arugay Jr., Crezel Ann Joy Viaros, Adeline Castroverde, Wiljen Alcontin, Eleazar Brigoli Jr., Trishanne Asona, EJ Christian Apa, Joanina Cortes, Gladimier Juevesano, Kianah Mae Racuya, Shiela Mae Guerra, Gillian Vasquez, and Kristel Jean Magtira.
Under the complaints, the respondents are accused of reckless imprudence resulting in homicide under Article 365 of the Revised Penal Code; torture resulting in the death of a person and torture committed against children under Republic Act 9745 (Anti-Torture Act of 2009); and for violating RA 7394, the Consumer Act of the Philippines, particularly, the mislabeling of drugs and devices, liability for defective products, and liability for product and service imperfection.
Garin has been named respondent in all 13 complaints, while, Duque is included as a respondent in five of the complaints.
The others who were also named as respondents in all 13 complaints are Department of Health (DOH) officials Dr. Vicente Belizario Jr., Dr. Kenneth Hartigan-Go, Dr. Gerardo Bayugo, Dr. Lyndon Lee Suy, Dr. Irma Asuncion, Dr. Julius Lecciones, Dr. Joyce Ducusin, Rosalind Viianzon, and Mario Baquilod.
Also named respondents in the complaints are Food and Drug Administration (FDA) officials Dr. Maria Lourdes Santiago and Melody Zamudio; and officials of the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine (RITM), namely, Drs. Socorro Lupisan and Maria Rosario Capeding.
Executives of Sanofi Pasteur and local distributor Zuellig Pharma are also included as respondents.
Sanofi Pasteur executives named as respondents are Carlito Realuyo, Stanislas Camart, Jean Louis Grunwald, Jean-Francois Vacherand, Conchita Santos, Jazel Anne Calvo, Pearl Grace Cabali, and Marie Esther De Antoni.
Those from Zuellig Pharma are: Kasigod Jamias, Michael Becker, Ricardo Romulo, Imran Babar Chugtai, Rayumund Azurin, Nilo Badiola, John Stokes Davison, Marc Franck, Ashley Gerard Antonio, Ana Liza Peralta, Rosa Maria Chua, Danilo Cahoy, Manuel Concio III, Roland Goco, and Ma. Visitacion Barreiro.
Also named respondents in some of the complaints are Dr. Herminigildo Valle also of the DOH; Dr. Sonia Gonzales of the Philippine Children’s Medical Center (PCMC); and Dr. Raymundo Lo, a former PCMC official.
Senior Assistant State Prosecutor Arnold Magpantay, who chairs the panel of prosecutors handling the third batch of complaints, set the filing of the replies after the respondents filed their respective counter-affidavits last February 21.