VACCINE PROBE After a Senate investigation into the Dengvaxia controversy, former President Benigno Aquino III, former Health Secretary Janette Garin and former Budget Secretary Florencio Abad have been ordered to appear at the Department of Justice in connection with a criminal complaint arising from the vaccine fiasco. —INQUIRER FILE PHOTO
Former President Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III and two members of his Cabinet have been ordered to appear at the Department of Justice (DOJ) next month to answer a criminal complaint for alleged irregularities and negligence in the antidengue mass immunization program.
A four-member panel of DOJ prosecutors ordered Aquino, former Secretaries Florencio Abad of budget and Janette Garin of health, and 42 other respondents to appear on June 4 for a preliminary investigation.
They were accused of graft, violating procurement rules, technical malversation and criminal negligence for the disbursement of P3.5 billion to purchase the Dengvaxia antidengue vaccine that was administered to more than 800,000 school children and state employees. —Dona Z. Pazzibugan