PAO files 2 more cases vs Garin, Duque, 36 others

The Public Attorney’s Office (PAO) filed two more cases against former Health Secretary Janette Garin and 37 others on Thursday over the deaths of two more schoolchildren inoculated with the dengue vaccine Dengvaxia.

PAO chief Persida Acosta filed charges of reckless imprudence resulting in homicide and violations of the Anti-Torture Act and the Consumer Act in the Department of Justice on behalf of the families of schoolchildren Shiela Mae Guerra, from Las Piñas City, and Gillian Vasquez, from Cardona, Rizal.

The corespondents included incumbent Health Secretary Francisco Duque III, as well as executives of Dengvaxia manufacturer Sanofi Pasteur and distributor Zuellig Pharma.

Acosta said Duque was charged because the two victims were inoculated during his term as secretary.

The PAO earlier filed three batches of cases involving 27 victims. —JEROME ANING