The Senate’s chief prober last Sunday said he could muster enough signatures to affirm his “chairman’s report,” recommending charges be filed against ex-President Benigno S. Aquino III and other Aquino Cabinet officials based on findings “pointing to their liability” in the deadly Dengvaxia vaccine mess.
Sen. Richard J. Gordon, chairman of the Blue Ribbon Committee’s Dengvaxia inquiry, said among those likely to face liabilities, apart from Aquino, are former Health Secretary Janette L. Garin and ex-Budget Secretary Florencio B. Abad.
“All the testimonies pointing to their liability were made under oath during the Senate committee hearings,” Gordon said. “So cases can be filed against them based on the testimonies,” he added.
In a radio interview over the weekend, Gordon clarified he approved the release of the chairman’s report, and not a draft report as earlier reported, even as other senators had yet to sign the report at that time “because many are asking what happened to it.”
At the same time, Gordon debunked speculations attributed to the Aquino camp that he timed the release of the Dengvaxia report in order to draw away attention from controversies plaguing the Duterte administration, such as the Boracay closure.
“They are the ones covering up,” Gordon countered, adding “it is natural for them to say that because it is ex-President Aquino on the dock.”
In a separate interview, Sen. Antonio F. Trillanes IV pooh-poohed Gordon’s claim he can easily have the chairman’s committee report adopted by the senators. Speaking partly in Filipino, Trillanes threatened to “tear apart” key conclusions and recommendations in the committee report.
“Those who attended the Blue Ribbon hearings can recall that the hearings were hogged by Senator Gordon, but experts cannot categorically testify that Dengvaxia killed the children,” Trillanes said.
Moreover, he noted, reports that of the 800,000 children injected, “14 died, 12 of different causes and two died [of dengue] even after injection [with Dengvaxia],” the senator added.
“Where is the proof that kids died because of Dengvaxia? If you don’t have scientific findings that is nothing,” Trillanes stated.
He said if Gordon’s source “is merely [Public Attorneys’ Office Chief] Percida [Rueda] Acosta, then they deserve each other.”
Trilanes is certain the Gordon committee report “will not stand scrutiny of senators” even assuming he can get the majority to sign.