Acosta accuses Health execs of links with Dengvaxia program

PAO chief Dr. Persida Rueda Acosta. INQUIRER file photo / LYN RILLON

Public Attorney’s Office (PAO) chief Persida Acosta claimed that critics of their investigation on alleged Dengvaxia-related deaths have ties with the scrapped vaccination program.

In a presentation entitled “Alamat ng Dengvaxia,” which Acosta showed on a Friday press conference, she said that both Department of Health (DOH) Secretary Francisco Duque and former Secretary Esperanza Cabral had a hand in the vaccination program.

“Si (former) Secretary Cabral po na nagsabing tumigil kami sa autopsy, siya po pala ay consultant din ni Secretary Garin,” Acosta said.

She also said Cabral is linked with Zuellig Pharma, the official distributor of Dengvaxia vaccines in the Philippines.

“Ang malungkot, sa Zuellig Pharma, na distributor ng Denvaxia na ginawa ng Sanofi, (member ng) Board of Trustees pala si Secretary Cabral,” Acosta added.

Acosta said that Duque, which she considers a friend, is involved in a study instrumental to the implementation of the national dengue immunization program.

She noted a study entitled “Research Project on the Burden of Disease of Dengue” dated October 6, 2015, by Research Institute for Tropical Medicine-Epidemiology Center, University of the Philippines, and certain doctors from San Lazaro Hospital was signed by Duque.

“Ang pumirma po ng order na ito ay ang ‘yong dating Secretary of Health na ngayo’y nakaupo ulit, si Secretary Duque,” she said.

The PAO chief also reiterated that after Duque’s term with the Civil Service Commission, he served as consultant to former Health Secretary Janette Garin.

Duque has previously denied Acosta’s accusations. /jpv

READ: Duque questions PAO’s motives in filing Dengvaxia rap