Probe into alleged dengue deaths to continue—Aguirre

Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II (File photo by MARIANNE BERMUDEZ / Philippine Daily Inquirer)

The forensic examination of children whose death was suspected to have been triggered by Dengvaxia vaccine as well as the investigation by the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) will continue, Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II said Wednesday.

“Palace as well as the DOJ (Department of Justice) were in agreement that exhumation of the cadavers and examination will continue until we’ve decided that the same be stopped,” Aguirre told reporters.

Aguirre was reacting to the call of the Doctors for Public Welfare (DPW) led by former Health Secretary Esperanza Cabral to stop the DOJ’s investigation following the findings of the doctors from the Philippine General Hospital (PGH) that only one of the 14 deaths examined by PAO may be causally associated with the vaccine.

READ: Ex-Health chief, doctors want PAO’s Dengvaxia probe to stop

“I see no reason why it should be stopped at this time,” Aguirre said as he pointed out that PGH’s report was based on documents.

“Yun ang kahinaan ng findings ng doctors [from PGH] hindi sila nag examine ng tissue. Their report was based on record,” Aguirre added.

(That is the weakness in the findings of the PGH doctors: they did not examine [the victims’] tissue. Their report was based on record.)

The DOJ secretary said instead of denouncing the forensic examination conducted by the team of Dr. Erwin Erfe, the head of the PAO Forensic Laboratory, his study should be used as a reference point.

Aguirre said President Rodrigo Duterte has called on them, together with PAO Chief Persida Rueda-Acosta, the Volunteers Against Crime and Corruption (VACC), the Executive Secretary and Health Secretary Francisco Duque III, to discuss the matter on Thursday. /jpv

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