Aquino, et al. face plunder rap over Dengvaxia

A plunder complaint has been filed at the Office of the Ombudsman against former President Benigno S. Aquino III as well as some members of his Cabinet for allegedly misusing public funds in the purchase of Dengvaxia vaccine, which has been used in the government’s national anti-dengue immunization program.

In a 46-page complaint, the Volunteers Against Crime and Corruption (VACC) through its Legal Committee Chairman, Atty. Ferdinand Topacio, and Citizens Crime Watch Association, Inc. (CCW) national president Diego Magpantay accused Aquino and other officials during his administration of benefitting from the ‘hastened’ and ‘intervened’ deal with Dengvaxia manufacturer, Sanofi Pasteur.

Aside from Aquino, VACC and CCW also named as respondents in their plunder complaint former Executive Secretary Paquito Ochoa, Jr., former Budget Secretary Florencio Abad, and former Health Secretary Janette Garin.

The VACC and CCW further included as respondents in their complaint the following officials: Department of Health (DOH) Undersecretaries Ma. Carolina Vidal-Taiño, Gerardo Bayugo, Lilibeth David, and Mario Valleverde; Assistant Secretaries Lyndon Lee Suy and Nestor Santiago, Jr.; Directors Laureano Cruz, Irma Asuncion, Leonita Gorgolon, Rio Magpantay, Ariel Valencia; OIC Directors Maria Joyce Ducusin and Mar Wynn Bello;

Former Undersecretaries Nemesio Gako, Vicente Belizario, Kenneth Hartigan-Go; former Head Executive Assistant to Garin, Dr. Yolanda Oliveros; and Philippine Children’s Medical Center Executive Director Dr. Julius Lecciones.

INQUIRER.net is trying to reach the named respondents in the plunder complaint for their comments, as of this posting.                      /kga