DOJ summons 2 PCMC execs over Dengvaxia

The Department of Justice (DOJ) has summoned two officials of the Philippine Children’s Medical Center (PCMC) in Quezon City in connection with its investigation into criminal charges over the deaths of schoolchildren inoculated with the controversial Dengvaxia vaccine.

In a nine-page subpoena received by parties earlier this week, the DOJ ordered physicians Raymundo Lo and Sonia Gonzales to appear before the panel of investigating prosecutors tomorrow at 10 a.m. for preliminary investigation on charges of reckless imprudence resulting in homicide and violations of the AntiTorture Act.

The DOJ panel chaired by Senior Assistant State Prosecutor Susan Dacanay directed the two PCMC officials to submit their counter-affidavits to the complaint filed by families of eight students who died after getting the dengue immunization vaccine in the second batch of Dengvaxia cases.

The complainants, in a motion filed by the Public Attorney’s Office, alleged that the two PCMC officials were among the “known personalities who facilitated the purchase of Dengvaxia vaccine” as found during the recent hearing in the inquiry of the House of Representatives on the Dengvaxia controversy.

They alleged that Lo and Gonzalez “actively participated in the purchase of Dengvaxia and/or spearheaded the implementation of the anti-dengue mass vaccination program of the (Department of Health) despite the danger that Dengvaxia poses to the target population/ recipients.”

The complainants stressed that while Lo did not sign the purchase request himself, he admitted during the congressional hearing that he authorized the order. Lo was the deputy executive director for professional services of PCMC who issued the purchase request to buy the P3.5-billion vaccines through Gonzales.