The Public Attorney’s Office (PAO) is set to autopsy the remains of three persons who were reportedly inoculated with the anti-dengue vaccine Dengvaxia.
“May tatlo pong naghihintay sa Cebu (There are three remains waiting autopsy in Cebu),” said PAO Chief Persida V. Rueda-Acosta during a meeting with the families of the alleged Dengvaxia victims held live on Facebook.
But Acosta said that PAO’s forensics team headed by Dr. Erwin P. Erfe could not go to Cebu yet due to an existing lockdown and the families were advised to bury the remains of the victims.
“Babalikan po yan ng forensic team pagpasok po ng bagong taon (The PAO forensic team will got there once the new year comes),” she assured.
Acosta said that as of Dec. 11, 2020, the PAO forensics team has autopsied 165 remains of persons who received doses of Dengvaxia.
As of last Nov. 24, she said PAO said criminal cases have been filed before the Quezon City Regional Trial Court (RTC) in connection with the deaths of 155 victims and the sufferings of two minors who survived.
She added that PAO has also filed civil cases on behalf of the families of 64 victims and the two survivors.
She then urged families of the victims to “stay strong and never give up the legal fight in seeking justice.”
“Pag tayo ang sumuko, di susuko ang kalaban. Susuko ang kalaban kung tayo po ay matatag. Parang gera po. Legal battle po ito (When we give up, the enemy won’t. The enemy will give up if we become strong. This is like war. This is a legal battle),” she declared.