Garin acquitted of graft in Dengvaxia case

The Sandiganbayan Special Second Division acquitted House Deputy Speaker Janette Garin of graft and illegal use of public funds in relation to the purchase of the anti-dengue vaccine Dengvaxia when she served as health secretary.

MANILA — The Sandiganbayan Special Second Division acquitted House Deputy Speaker Janette Garin of graft and illegal use of public funds in relation to the purchase of the anti-dengue vaccine Dengvaxia when she served as health secretary.

The case against Garin and four others arose from charges filed in 2023 by the Ombudsman before the anti-graft court, alleging violations of an executive order and Department of Health (DOH) issuances over the release of a special allotment release order (SARO) worth more than P3 billion for the procurement of Dengvaxia vaccines and the school-based immunization program.