ILOILO CITY – Former health secretary and now Iloilo first district Rep. Janette Loreto-Garin decried reports that a warrant of arrest has been issued for her and three others for their alleged roles in the death of two children, who were administered with the anti-dengue vaccine Dengvaxia.

Garin branded the reports as “fake”, and that it was not true that she or her co-accused have been ordered arrested.

This was after a national newspaper broke the story late Friday, November 20, that a Quezon City court has issued a warrant for the arrest of Garin and three executives of Sanofi Pasteur Inc., the manufacturer of Dengvaxia. Iloilo media outlets also reported the same Friday evening.

“This news, yet again, is another attempt to mislead and condition the public’s mind. One paper known for notoriously hitting me first posted it and some local journalists who are just waiting to attack, pounced on the chance to malign me without verifying,” Garin emphasized.

Garin, who is now a congressional representative of southern Iloilo province, said the Quezon City court only sent a notice that she and Sanofi Pasteur’s Stanislas Camart, Jean Louis Grunwald, Jean Francois Vacherand were not able to file their bail bonds.

Garin also noted that she and the three Sanofi Pasteur executives have bail bonds posted with courts in before Muntinlupa City,  Imus, Cavite and other courts. 

“It should also be considered filed before the Quezon City court. If the Court missed my records, I will furnish them a copy of my documents,” Garin pointed out.

Garin also reiterated that the first batch of cases in relation to Dengvaxia has already been dismissed.

“Science has proven that the vaccine did not and could not cause deaths. Only in the Philippines do we believe dramatic lawyers and fake pathologists over real doctors and scientists,” she expressed.

“In this time of pandemic, when our only hope for returning to normal is the development of a vaccine, let us not demonize vaccines,” Garin added.