Palace waits for NBI probe on Dengvaxia to co-relate Senate panel report

April 13, 2018

Malacañang will examine the recommendation of the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee that conducted the hearings on the Dengvaxia vaccine controversy but is waiting for the report of the National Bureau of Investigation before proceeding.

“That's a report created by a powerful committee of a co- equal branch of government that will be given much weight by the Executive when it decides its next course of action on the issue,” said Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque.

Senator Richard Gordon, in announcing the draft committee report on Thursday, said here was “obvious conspiracy” between then President Benigno Aquino III and former Health Secretary Janette Garin to facilitate the procurement of the anti-dengue vaccine Dengvaxia during an election year. Several officials were mentioned in the draft report as having a part in this case.

At least 700,000 schoolchildren were injected with Dengvaxia before the Department of Health halted the program last December 2017 after the World Health Organization warned the vaccine could pose health risks to people who didn't have dengue. DMS