(Eagle News) — Senator RIchard Gordon on Tuesday said it appears the P3.5-billion purchase of Dengvaxia was the result of a “conspiracy” among former President Benigno Aquino III and his Cabinet officials.
In an interview over dzbb, Gordon, head of the blue ribbon committee, one of the panels conducting an inquiry into the Dengvaxia mess, noted what he said was the suspicious timing of the procurement of the vaccine.
The vaccine was procured only months before the May 2016 elections, during the Aquino administration.
He noted that the dengue vaccination program was started in Regions 3 and 4, and Metro Manila, known to be vote-rich areas.
“Pagkatapos, itaas mo kay (former) Secretary (Janette) Garin, pagkatapos itaas mo pa sa DBM (Department of Budget and Management), itaas mo pa sa Presidente, lahat may kaugnayan, parang may conspiracy, very very clear dahil ang bilis bilis ng takbo (ng pagprocure),” Gordon said.
The budget secretary at that time was Florencio Abad.
He said apart from Garin and Abad, “of course meron silang executive order signed by the executive secretary,” referring to Paquito Ochoa.
“By experience you cannot release that much [money]…Hindi makakagalaw ang (Department of Budget and Management) nang hindi nagpapaalam sa pangulo….Oo, sabwatan. Patapos na ang term, palabas na sila, humanap sila ng gagasatusin na hindi tama,” he said.
“Yes, he (Aquino) has to explain. Madali bang makapagpalabas ng pera na wala sa (General Appropriations Act)? Wala sa budget, makakapagpalabas ka ba ng pera?” Gordon added.
The Dengvaxia snafu started when the drug manufacturer Sanofi Pasteur admitted “serious cases” could occur in those who were administered the vaccine but who have not had dengue beforehand.
In its defense, Sanofi said the new data was the result of only recently done studies.
Over 800,000 children were administered the vaccine under the government’s dengue vaccination program that was launched last year.( With a report from Meanne Corvera, Eagle News Service)