Aquino cold to prospect of attending House probe on Dengvaxia mess

Former President Benigno Aquino III appeared to be cold on Thursday to the prospect of attending the House of Representatives panel hearing on the botched anti-dengue vaccine drive and asked lawmakers to simply send him the questions in advance so they would all be “productive.”

In a press conference after the Senate hearing on the Dengvaxia vaccine mess, Aquino was asked if he would be willing to attend the separate House committee on good government and public accountability inquiry on the issue.

Aquino answered: “Personally ah, of course nung araw, mayroon akong hearing na mga ako nag-iinitiate, miyembro ako ng Kongreso noon, sa Senate, baka naman gusto nila ipadala na nila lahat ng tanong at masagot natin…para mahaba na ang panahon na pag-aaralan.”

(Personally before, there were hearings that I initiated as member of the Congress and Senate—they may want to send the questions in advance so we can study the questions and answer them well.)

“Baka mas (It may be more) productive ‘yon for all parties concerned,” he added.

The joint Senate blue ribbon, health and finance committees on Thursday zeroed in on the government’s botched anti-dengue immunization program, particularly the purchase of P3.5-billion Dengvaxia vaccine.

The panels relaunched the probe weeks after French pharmaceutical giant Sanofi Pasteur admitted that the now-controversial vaccine could cause severe dengue to those who have not yet acquired the disease and got infected after getting immunized.

Aquino said he believed that he had clarified the issues hurled at him, especially that he green-lighted the purchase and implementation of the program.

“I think I clarified it, especially to everybody who listened to it and to those listening to it that have an open mind. If there were people who were listening to it who have closed minds, I cannot change their positions,” he said./ac