Duque slams PAO’s ‘baseless’ plan to sue him over Dengvaxia mess

Health Secretary Francisco Duque III on Thursday dismissed as “baseless” the reported plan of lawyers and doctors to file cases against him over the children’s alleged deaths due to the controversial Dengvaxia anti-dengue vaccine.

Duque was reacting to the announcement of Public Attorneys’ Office (PAO) forensics chief Dr. Erwin Erfe that there are groups seeking to file cases against the health secretary to revoke his license as a doctor.

Erfe added that they are also planning to bring the cases before the International Criminal Court (ICC).

“I do not wish to dignify the complaints that Dr. Erfe and company plan to file in PRC [Professional Regulation Commission] and ICC,” Duque told reporters.

“It’s baseless. I do not know what they are talking about. I consider these actions as totally baseless, malicious, fictitious,” Duque added.

Duque stressed that “these are nuisance complaints meant to distract me from doing my very important job of protecting the health of the Filipino people.”

Criminal complaints have already been filed against Duque, former Health Secretary Janette Garin, other health officials, as well as executives and personnel of vaccine manufacturer, Sanofi Pasteur, and its distributor, Zuellig Pharma.

READ: Why me? Duque says rap filed against him over Dengvaxia ‘malicious’

New raps filed vs Duque, Garin over Dengvaxia mess

The administration of Dengvaxia to children began during the term of President Benigno Aquino III.

It was halted by the Duterte administration following Sanofi’s admission that the vaccine should only be given to those who have already contracted dengue because the illness may worsen in recipients who have no history of the disease.   /vvp