The Public Attorney’s Office (PAO) has filed in court seven more civil cases for the families of those who died after reportedly getting doses of Dengvaxia, an anti-dengue vaccine.
In a bulletin, PAO said there are now 75 civil cases involving Dengvaxia lodged before the Quezon City regional trial court (RTC).
Of the seven additional cases, four were filed last Dec. 15 while three were filed last Dec. 16, PAO said.
It said it will seek the consolidation of the civil cases before just one RTC branch in Quezon City.
It also said that 157 criminal cases have been filed.
Early this week, PAO asked government prosecutors to file cases involving Dengvaxia only before the Quezon City RTC as directed by the Supreme Court (SC) to expedite the proceedings.
If filed outside of Quezon City RTCs, there would be delay because it would take time before the cases can be transferred to the court which has jurisdiction.
PAO has been enforcing a 2017 directive of then Justice Seretary and now National Police Commission (Napolcom) Vice Chairman and Executive Officer Vitaliano Aguirre II to “extend free legal assistance in civil, criminal and administrative cases to all possible victims of Dengvaxia related injuries, illnesses and deaths.”