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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider Sandigan denies motions to dismiss criminal charges vs ex-DOH Sec Garin, 4 others, in purchase of P3.5B Dengvaxia vaccines in 2015

Sandigan denies motions to dismiss criminal charges vs ex-DOH Sec Garin, 4 others, in purchase of P3.5B Dengvaxia vaccines in 2015

Published Jan 11, 2024 02:35 am

 

The Sandiganbayan denied the motion to dismiss the graft and technical malversation charges filed against former Department of Health (DOH) secretary and now Iloilo 1st District Rep. Janette L. Garin and four others in the purchase of P3.5 billion worth of Dengvaxia vaccines in 2015.

Garin, former director Maria Joyce U. Ducusin, former undersecretaries Gerardo Bayugo and Kenneth Y. Hartigan-Go, and Philippine Children's Medical Center (PCMC) Executive Director Julius Lecciones claimed their right to speedy disposition of cases was violated due to inordinate delay in the investigation of the charges and the filing of the cases in court.

They also alleged that the facts charged in the information (criminal charge sheet) do not constitute an offense.

In denying their motions, the anti-graft court said: "Considering the circumstances that attended the investigation of these cases - with originally 42 respondents who were all given the opportunity to answer the charges against them, and the complexities of the issues that required careful study and consideration of voluminous documents submitted in the course of the investigation - the Court finds that the length of time spent by both the DOJ (Department of Justice) and the Office of the Ombudsman before issuing the resolutions that culminated in the filing of the cases in court is reasonable and acceptable.”

"The Court rules that the investigations were not attended by vexatious, capricious and oppressive delays. Rather, the length of time spent in the investigation indicates that a careful examination and review of the evidence and documents were thoroughly undertaken before the cases were filed in court," the court said.

The nine-page resolution promulgated on Jan. 10, 2024 was written by Second Division Chairperson Associate Justice Oscar C. Herrera Jr. with the concurrence of Associate Justices Edgardo M. Caldona and Arthur O. Malabaguio.

The prosecution alleged that Garin and the four other accused conspired with one another in sourcing P3,556,155,900 from the DOH's Expanded Program on Immunization (EPI).

However, the funds were used to purchase Dengvaxia vaccines, which the prosecution said was not part of the EPI and not listed in Volume 1 of the Philippine National Drug Formulary.

Charged with violation of Section 3(e) of Republic Act No. 3019, the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act, were Garin, Bayugo, Hartigan-Go, Ducusin, and Lecciones.

Garin, Ducusin, Hartigan-Go, and Lecciones were also charged with violation of Article 220 of the Revised Penal Code on technical malversation.

On the graft charge, the Sandiganbayan said that the allegations contained in the criminal charge sheet “contain all the elements of violation of Section 3(e) of RA 3019.”

“Hence, the information in question alleges facts and circumstances that necessarily constitute the offense charged,” the anti-graft court said.

Also, the court said that in the charge of technical malversation, facts and circumstances were alleged the “necessarily constitute the offense charged.”

The complaints against Garin and the other accused were filed by Atty. Manuelito R. Luna of the Volunteers Against Crime and Corruption (VACC) and the Vanguard of the Philippine Constitution, Inc. (VPCI) before the DOJ on Feb. 13, 2018.

The DOJ issued a resolution on June 30, 2021 recommending the filing of charges against Garin and the four other accused.  It forwarded its resolution to the Office of the Ombudsman on Aug. 8, 2022.

On Oct. 24, 2023, the OMB filed the cases before the Sandiganbayan after resolving the motions for reconsideration filed by Garin and her group.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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