VACC defends Acosta from criticisms

THE Volunteers Against Crime and Corruption ( VACC) defended Public Attorney’s Office ( PAO) chief Persida Acosta from criticisms that her statements against Dengvaxia scared parents, prompting them to decide not to have their children immunized against other diseases such as measles.

Acosta had been vocal in lambasting the acquisition of P3.5 billion worth of Dengvaxia vaccines in 2015. The PAO probed the deaths of children allegedly linked to the dengue vaccine.

The Department of Health earlier reported that 90 percent of patients infected with measles in Metro Manila were not vaccinated.

Health Secretary Francisco Duque attributed the decline in vaccination rates to Acosta’s statements. But Acosta said the vaccination rate started to drop even before the investigations on Dengvaxia.

In a statement, VACC said the PAO chief was merely doing her job and sole mandate — to provide legal assistance to the poor and marginalized.

“PAO continues to be in the forefront of the issue with the sole intention of uncovering the truth and only the truth, while in defense of more than 100 innocent children who succumbed to fatal diseases after having been vaccinated with Dengvaxia,” the VACC said.

“Finger pointing by dissenters is only diverting the attention of the public from the true issue as to who are to be blamed for the Dengvaxia fiasco,” it added.