Doctor ready to face rap over Dengvaxia scandal
Credit to Author: The Manila Times| Date: Sat, 22 Feb 2020 11:46:50 +0000
A doctor indicted by the Department of Justice (DoJ) over his involvement in the distribution of the Dengvaxia vaccine is optimistic that the case will be dismissed due to lack of sufficient evidence.
“Alam ko kung ano ang totoo kaya hindi ako natatakot at buong tapang ko itong haharapin (I know the truth that’s why I am not afraid and will face this [case] bravely),” Julius Lecciones, executive director of the Philippine Children’s Medical Center said in a statement on Saturday.
The DoJ said on Friday that it found probable cause to indict former Health secretary and now Iloilo Rep. Janet Garin and nine others with reckless imprudence resulting in homicide.
READ: DoJ indicts Garin over Dengvaxia
Lecciones said he would face the case just like the eight other criminal cases filed against him but which were later dismissed by the court. One is still pending.
“Bilang isang doktor na gumagamot sa mga batang may sakit, alam kong mahalaga ang bakuna at isa itong solusyon upang tuldukan ang matagal nang problema sa dengue (As a doctor who heals sick children, I know [the] vaccine is important and this is a solution in order to end the dengue scourge),” he said.
He reiterated that no fatality has been recorded over the use of the Dengvaxia vaccine.
“Ang Dengvaxia ay inaprubrahan na ring gamitin sa ibang bansa laban sa Dengue kasama na rin ang FDA (Food and Drug Administration) approval sa United States of America at sa Europe (In the United States of America and in Europe, the dengvaxia has been approved by the FDA to use [as a vaccine] for Dengue),” he added.
As of posting time, Lecciones said he has not received a copy of the DoJ resolution. FRANZ LEWIN EMBUDO