Former Department of Health (DOH) secretary and now Iloilo First District Representative Janette Garin maintained that Dengvaxia, the world’s first licensed dengue vaccine, was safe for use.
“Science has proven that the vaccine did not and could not cause deaths. Only in the Philippines do we believe dramatic lawyers and fake pathologists over real doctors and scientists,” Garin said in a statement.
The legislator issued the statement on Saturday, Nov. 21, after reports came out that an arrest warrant has been issued against her and three others in connection with their alleged involvement in the death of two schoolchildren inoculated with Dengvaxia.
“This news, yet again, is another attempt to mislead and condition the public’s mind,” said Garin.
The news story was first published on The Manila Times’ official website on Friday evening, Nov. 21, and was picked up by local media outlets.
A report by The Manila Times said Judge Jose Bautista Jr. of the Quezon City Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 107 ordered the arrest of Garin and Stanislas Camart, Jean Louis Grunwald and Jean Francois Vacherand from Sanofi Pasteur Inc., the manufacturer of Dengvaxia.
Judge Bautista, according to the report, “ruled in his two separate omnibus orders dated November 18, that ‘the court went over the record of the case and finds that probable cause exists to issue a warrant of arrest against all accused’ in the case of reckless imprudence resulting in homicide for the deaths of Marc-Axl Eboña and Zandro Colite.”
“Garin and [and the Sanofi executives] have not yet filed their bail bonds that prompted the court to order their arrest,” the report added.
The lawmaker dismissed the report as “fake”, saying: “No warrant of arrest has been issued.”
Garin clarified that she had posted bail. “The bail bonds posted before Muntinlupa City; Imus, Cavite and other courts are already considered filed before the Quezon City court. If the Court missed my records, I will furnish them a copy of my documents.”
“Walang katotohanan na kami o ako ay pinapahuli sapagkat sumusunod ang ating mga korte at mga hukom sa proseso ng tunay na hustisya,” she stressed.
Garin urged her detractors “not to demonize vaccines”, especially during the time of COVID-19 when immunization is needed to help the country recover from the pandemic’s impact.
“Huwag na patulan o i-sensationalize ng media ang isyung walang katotohanan at walang batayan. Huwag natin takutin ang mga tao sa bakuna dahil sa ngayon, sa bakuna nakasalalay ang ating pamumuhay at mismong mga buhay,” she said.IMT
