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

Health Secretary Francisco Duque PHOTO/Edwin Bacasmas, PDI 

Health Secretary Francisco Duque III on Thursday branded the criminal complaint filed against him over a suspected Dengvaxia-related death as “baseless,” “malicious” and “oppressive.”

Ariel Hedia, father of 13-year old Abbie Hedia who died due to “septic shock,” named Duque as one among over 30 respondents in the complaint filed at the Department of Justice. He was assisted by Public Attorney’s Office (PAO) chief Persida Acosta.

Baffled by the complaint, Duque stressed that he was only appointed as Health Secretary weeks before Sanofi Pasteur issued an advisory about severe dengue among patients administered with Dengvaxia.

“Nagulat nga ako dito eh. Of all people, bakit ako ang isinama?” Duque said in a phone patch interview with reporters.

Duque said that former Health Secretaries Paulyn Ubial and Janette Garin should be the ones impleaded in the complaint since they were the ones “responsible” for the vaccine’s implementation. Garin was included in the complaint.

He also pointed out that he had “absolutely, unconditionally and decisively” stopped the implementation of the anti-dengue vaccine. The vaccine’s registration was revoked at the Food and Drug Administration, he said.

“Walang basis, malicious, harassment and oppressive, vexatious,” Duque said. “Itong ginagawa is meant to harass and oppress me and the DOH, because it’s baseless.”

“Ang una kong inasikaso, ‘yung mga Marawi families and children na may sakit. Pinaghandaan din natin ‘yung “Iwas Paputok,” ‘yung paputok injury reduction,” he said.

Duque said he found it “funny” that Ubial was not included in the criminal complaint.

“Wala akong kaalam-alam, wala naman akong pinirmahan. Nakakatawa nga dito, kasi si Ubial, hindi inimplead,” Duque said.

“Saan ka ba naman nakakita na ‘yung katulad ni Ubial na siya ang nag-expand at siya ang nagpatuloy ng immunization to cover the community-based immunization? Bakit ako pinasok, wala naman akong pinirmahan?” he asked.

Ready to respond to the complaint, Duque said he would reveal the administrative order signed by Ubial and Garin that implemented and expanded the vaccination program in the country.

“May mga dokumento ako, ipapakita ko na lang tomorrow. ‘Yung pirma ni Ubial at pirma ni Garin, sila ang may pakana nito. Sila ang nag-umpisa at nagpatuloy. Hininto ni Ubial, tapos nung sinasabi niya na pine-pressure siya ng Congress, pinagpatuloy niya,” Duque said.

“(Ito ay) AO, administrative order na sinasabi iimplement sa school-based ng Regions 3, 4-A and NCR, tapos inexpand, gumawa ng panibagong AO si Ubial na inexpand niya to cover the community based Dengvaxia immunization program,” he said.

INQUIRER.net is reaching out to Garin for her side on the criminal complaint./ac