Comelec summons Noy, others over Dengvaxia
LUCKY P. MALICAY
MANILA — Former president Benigno Aquino III and his two ex-aides
have been summoned by the
Commission on Elections to answer a complaint filed against them for alleged election
offense in connection with the procurement of the
controversial Dengvaxia vaccine.
The Comelec sent a subpoena to Aquino, former Budget secretary Florencio Abad and former Health secretary Janette Garin after they were accused of violating the Omnibus Election Code that prohibits the use of public funds for an election campaign.
"You are hereby directed to appear and submit your counter-affidavit and other supporting documents or affidavits of your witness/es, if any,... on 15 March, 2018," the poll body told the three former officials.
To recall, a joint complaint-affidavit was filed against Aquino, Abad and Garin for supposedly using P3 billion in public funds in purchasing anti-dengue vaccine Dengvaxia and implementing an immunization program, 45 days before the general election.
The complainants accused Aquino of spending funds from state coffers "to further the candidacies of his partymates" in the Liberal Party and entice voters.
A violation of election laws carries a penalty of imprisonment from one to six years, removal of the right to vote, and disqualification from holding public office.
French pharmaceutical giant Sanofi Pasteur initially claimed that its world-first dengue vaccine was safe and effective for all people aged 9 to 45, but later acknowledged that it's not recommended for people who have had no prior dengue infection.
Sanofi's revelation triggered simmering public anger in the Philippines, where more than 800,000 school children had been vaccinated in 2016. —
Philstar.com