By Jeffrey Damicog
Unless Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra tells her to stop, Public Attorney’s Office (PAO) Chief Persida Acosta assured that she will continue to file cases against those liable for the deaths of those who received shots of the anti-dengue vaccine Dengvaxia.
Public Attorney's Office Chief Percida Acosta
(ALI VICOY / MANILA BULLETIN FILE PHOTO)
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Acosta made this assurance as the PAO continued to represent the families of Dengvaxia victims in the filing of criminal complaints before the Department of Justice (DOJ).
She reminded that back in December 2017 then Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II issued Department Order No. 792 which directed the PAO “to extend free legal assistance in civil, criminal and administrative cases to all possible victims of Dengvaxia related injuries, illnesses and deaths.”
“May order ang DOJ, hindi naman nirerevoke ni Secretary Guevarra (The DOJ has an order and it has not been revoked by Secretary Guevarra),” Acosta declared.
“Pag ni-revoke ni Secretary Guevarra e di ibang usapan yun (If Secretary Guevarra revokes it then it’s another matter),” she added.
Just last Monday, the PAO filed on behalf of the families of the victims six more complaints before the DOJ concerning the deaths of six children who received shots of Dengvaxia.
The six dead children were Renelyn Avellanosa from Cavite; Psalm Dioquino, Bulacan; Lalaine Laylay, Las Piñas; Levie Losanga, Quezon City; Theresa Romano, Bulacan; and Lennon Carl Ribo, Taguig City.
With this, there are now a total of 55 complaints which have filed before the DOJ concerning 54 persons who died and one child who survived after getting shots of Dengvaxia.