Aquino, Abad, Garin given until June 4 to file affidavits over Dengvaxia raps
By AJ Siytangco
Published May 15, 2018 03:16 pm
By Jeffrey Damicog
Former President Benigno (Noynoy)Aquino III and his co-respondents including former Budget Secretary Florencio Abad and former Health Secretary Janette Garin have been given until next month to respond to the criminal complaint against them over the Dengvaxia anti-dengue vaccine mess.
(L-R) Former President Benigno (Noynoy) Aquino III, former Health Secretary Janette Garin, and former Budget Secretary Florencio Abad
(MANILA BULLETIN) During a preliminary investigation hearing held Tuesday (May 15), Senior Assistant State Prosecutor (SASP) Rossane Balauag, who heads the panel investigating the complaint, gave Aquino and his co-respondents until June 4 to file their respective counter-affidavits. Though Aquino, Abad, Garin and most of the respondents only have lawyers representing them during today’s hearing, Balauag said all of the defendants are required to appear before the panel on June 4. “Their physical presence is needed before the panel,” said the prosecutor who explained the respondents will have to swear to the truthfulness and authenticity of their respective counter-affidavits. The panel headed by Balauag conducted the preliminary investigation over the criminal complaint filed by Philippine Anti-Corruption Commission (PACC) Commissioner and the Volunteers Against Crime and Corruption (VACC) lawyer Manuelito Luna and suspended lawyer Eligio Mallari Vanguard of the Philippine Constitution, Inc. (VPCI). In the complaint, Aquino and his co-respondents are accused of having committed violation of Section 3(e) of Republic Act (RA) 3019, the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act; technical malversation under Section 65(3) of RA 9184, the Government Procurement Reform Act; and reckless imprudence resulting multiple homicide through criminal negligence under Article 365 of the Revised Penal Code (RPC). Apart from Aquino, Abad and Garin, the respondents who are former and current DOH officials, included as respondents are Undersecretaries Carol Tanio, Gerardo Bayugo, Lilibeth David, and Mario Villaverde; Assistant Secretaries Lyndon Lee Suy and Nestor Santiago; Directors Laureano Cruz, Joyce Ducusin, Mar Wynn Bello, Leonila Gorgolon, Rio Magpantay, Ariel Valencia, and Julius Lecciones; retired Undersecretary Nemesio Gako; resigned Undersecretaries Vicente Belizario Jr. And Kenneth Hartigan-Go; and resigned executive assistant to Garin, Dr. Yolanda Oliveros. Executives of Dengavaxia manufacturer Sanofi Pasteur and local distributor Zuellig Pharma were also named as co-respondents in the complaint. Also today, another panel of prosecutors headed by Assistant State Prosecutor Maria Emilia Victorio conducted a separate preliminary investigation over the deaths of nine children who received Dengvaxia. Assisted by the Public Attorney’s Office (PAO), the complaints were filed b the families of the dead children, namely, Aejay Bautista, Anjielica Pestillos, Lenard Baldonado, Zandro Colite, Abbie Hedia, Jansyn Art Bataa, Mark Axel Ebonia, Rey Justin Almagno, and Alexander Jaime. Victorio gave the respondents in these complaints until June 25 to file their respective counter-affidavits. In the complaints, the families accused the respondents of reckless imprudence resulting to homicide under Article 365 of the Revised Penal Code (RPC); for torture resulting to the death of a person and the torture of a child under Republic Act 9745, also known as the Act Penalizing Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman and Degrading Treatment; obstruction of justice under Section 1(b) of Presidential Decree 1829; and violation of Section 3€ of Republic Act 3019, the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act. Those who have been charged in all or some of the complaints include Health Secretary Francisco Duque III; former Health Secretary Janette Garin; Department of Health (DOH) officials Vicente Belizario Jr., Kenneth Hartigan-Go, Gerardo Bayugo, Lyndon Lee Suy, Irma Asuncion, Julius Lecciones, Joyce Ducusin, and Rosalind Vianzon; Maria Lourdes Santiago and Melody Zamudio of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA); and Socorro Lupisan and Maria Rosario Capending of the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine (RITM). Executives of Sanofi Pasteur Inc. and distributor Zuellig Pharma Corporation were also included as respondents. The corporate directors and officers of Sanofi named in the complaint are Carlito Realuyo, Sanislas Camart, Jean Louis Grunwald, Jean-Francois Vacherand, Conchita Santos, Jazel Anne Calvo, Pearl Grace Cabali, and Marie Esther De Antoni. While, those from Zuellig are Kasigod Jamias, Michael Becker, Ricardo Romulo, Imran Babar Chugtai, Raymund Azurin, Nilo Badiola, John Stokes Davison, Marc Franck, Ashley Gerard Antonio, Ana Liza Peralta, Rosa Maria Chua, Danilo Cahoy, Manuel Concio III, Roland Goco, and Ma. Visitacion Barreiro.
(L-R) Former President Benigno (Noynoy) Aquino III, former Health Secretary Janette Garin, and former Budget Secretary Florencio Abad(MANILA BULLETIN) During a preliminary investigation hearing held Tuesday (May 15), Senior Assistant State Prosecutor (SASP) Rossane Balauag, who heads the panel investigating the complaint, gave Aquino and his co-respondents until June 4 to file their respective counter-affidavits. Though Aquino, Abad, Garin and most of the respondents only have lawyers representing them during today’s hearing, Balauag said all of the defendants are required to appear before the panel on June 4. “Their physical presence is needed before the panel,” said the prosecutor who explained the respondents will have to swear to the truthfulness and authenticity of their respective counter-affidavits. The panel headed by Balauag conducted the preliminary investigation over the criminal complaint filed by Philippine Anti-Corruption Commission (PACC) Commissioner and the Volunteers Against Crime and Corruption (VACC) lawyer Manuelito Luna and suspended lawyer Eligio Mallari Vanguard of the Philippine Constitution, Inc. (VPCI). In the complaint, Aquino and his co-respondents are accused of having committed violation of Section 3(e) of Republic Act (RA) 3019, the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act; technical malversation under Section 65(3) of RA 9184, the Government Procurement Reform Act; and reckless imprudence resulting multiple homicide through criminal negligence under Article 365 of the Revised Penal Code (RPC). Apart from Aquino, Abad and Garin, the respondents who are former and current DOH officials, included as respondents are Undersecretaries Carol Tanio, Gerardo Bayugo, Lilibeth David, and Mario Villaverde; Assistant Secretaries Lyndon Lee Suy and Nestor Santiago; Directors Laureano Cruz, Joyce Ducusin, Mar Wynn Bello, Leonila Gorgolon, Rio Magpantay, Ariel Valencia, and Julius Lecciones; retired Undersecretary Nemesio Gako; resigned Undersecretaries Vicente Belizario Jr. And Kenneth Hartigan-Go; and resigned executive assistant to Garin, Dr. Yolanda Oliveros. Executives of Dengavaxia manufacturer Sanofi Pasteur and local distributor Zuellig Pharma were also named as co-respondents in the complaint. Also today, another panel of prosecutors headed by Assistant State Prosecutor Maria Emilia Victorio conducted a separate preliminary investigation over the deaths of nine children who received Dengvaxia. Assisted by the Public Attorney’s Office (PAO), the complaints were filed b the families of the dead children, namely, Aejay Bautista, Anjielica Pestillos, Lenard Baldonado, Zandro Colite, Abbie Hedia, Jansyn Art Bataa, Mark Axel Ebonia, Rey Justin Almagno, and Alexander Jaime. Victorio gave the respondents in these complaints until June 25 to file their respective counter-affidavits. In the complaints, the families accused the respondents of reckless imprudence resulting to homicide under Article 365 of the Revised Penal Code (RPC); for torture resulting to the death of a person and the torture of a child under Republic Act 9745, also known as the Act Penalizing Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman and Degrading Treatment; obstruction of justice under Section 1(b) of Presidential Decree 1829; and violation of Section 3€ of Republic Act 3019, the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act. Those who have been charged in all or some of the complaints include Health Secretary Francisco Duque III; former Health Secretary Janette Garin; Department of Health (DOH) officials Vicente Belizario Jr., Kenneth Hartigan-Go, Gerardo Bayugo, Lyndon Lee Suy, Irma Asuncion, Julius Lecciones, Joyce Ducusin, and Rosalind Vianzon; Maria Lourdes Santiago and Melody Zamudio of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA); and Socorro Lupisan and Maria Rosario Capending of the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine (RITM). Executives of Sanofi Pasteur Inc. and distributor Zuellig Pharma Corporation were also included as respondents. The corporate directors and officers of Sanofi named in the complaint are Carlito Realuyo, Sanislas Camart, Jean Louis Grunwald, Jean-Francois Vacherand, Conchita Santos, Jazel Anne Calvo, Pearl Grace Cabali, and Marie Esther De Antoni. While, those from Zuellig are Kasigod Jamias, Michael Becker, Ricardo Romulo, Imran Babar Chugtai, Raymund Azurin, Nilo Badiola, John Stokes Davison, Marc Franck, Ashley Gerard Antonio, Ana Liza Peralta, Rosa Maria Chua, Danilo Cahoy, Manuel Concio III, Roland Goco, and Ma. Visitacion Barreiro.