Angara signs blue ribbon Dengvaxia report with ‘reservations’, too

Senator Sonny Angara has also signed with “reservations” the Senate blue ribbon committee report that found former President Benigno S. Aquino III and his officials liable for the Dengvaxia controversy.

“I signed with some reservations,” Angara said in a text message Thursday night.

He was the 11th senator to sign the report prepared by Senator Richard Gordon as chairman of the committee.  The number of signatories – 11 or majority of the 20-member panel – was enough to bring the report to the plenary for deliberations.

READ: Aquino, Abad, Garin ‘caused’ Dengvaxia ‘tragedy’ – draft report

Angara said he signed with reservations because he did not believe Aquino  “acted criminally” when he approved the dengue mass immunization program  during his  time.

“It seems he (Aquino) acted in good faith and in reliance on the advice given by health officials at the time,” the senator said in another text message on Friday.

Senators Sherwin Gatchalian and Grace Poe also signed the blue ribbon committee report with reservations.

Like Angara, Gatchalian said he did not believe that Aquino was “criminally liable.”

“After further reading the committee report, I don’t agree that PNoy [Aquino] is criminally liable,” Gatchalian said in an earlier statement.

Senate President Pro Tempore Ralph Recto also signed the report but dissented on the proposed filing of charges against the former president.

Aquino and Recto both belong to the Liberal Party.

“My count is that a majority of those who signed do not agree with the recommendation to charge PNoy [Aquino]. But like me, (I) cannot disregard the valid recommendations moving forward initiatives,” Recto said. /kga