‘Dengvaxia’ parents seek inhibition of QC judge

‘Dengvaxia’ parents seek inhibition of QC judge

February 28, 2023 @ 7:50 AM 4 weeks ago


PARENTS whose children said to have died after they’re inoculated with anti-dengue Dengvaxia vaccine have sought for the inhibition of a Quezon City trial court judge whom they described as ‘partial and unfair.’

Representing other complainants, parents Ian Colite and Analyn Ebona, assisted by QC-based government prosecutors led by Deputy Chief Prosecutor Irene Resurreccion-Medrano, have filed an urgent motion for inhibition before the sala of QC-Regional Trial Court Branch 13 Judge Lily Ann Marcos-Padaen whom they sought to inhibit from further hearing their case.

“We’re surprised and saddened to find out that the person (in reference to the judge) whom we’re expecting to be fair by listening to all sides is the one who doesn’t listen about our plight,” Colite and Ebona said.

They said they’re doubly shocked and dismayed when the judge didn’t allow the prosecutors to present a child named Janrose Tarrobago as she would accept only those inoculated that had Dengvaxia card.

“How could she effectively come out with a fair decision when she would readily turn down our witnesses and pieces of evidence even before they are presented,” the parents said.

As they continue to grieve for the loss of their children, they said it’s more painful to know that Marcos-Padaen was thinking that they’re only wasting her time.

“Since when our desire for justice for the untimely death of our children was a waste of time,” they asked.

“With all these, we’ve lost our trust and confidence over her to hand a fair ruling in our case, so it would be better that before we totally lose our trust on the judicial system, she better inhibit from the case and let a new and impartial judge handle it,” Colite and Ebona said.

The parents were part of the initial batch of eight complainants who accused ex-Health secretary and now Iloilo Rep. Janette Garin and other co-respondents who were the alleged implementors of the mass anti-dengue vaccination using the Dengvaxia vaccine that began in 2016.
Garin and eight co-respondents, seven of them were doctors, were facing reckless imprudence resulting in homicide, among other cases.

She’s the principal respondent in separate multiple criminal and civil cases filed against her and other accused including former Health secretary Francisco Duque 3rd, was arraigned in July last year but the court entered a ‘not guilty’ plea for her.

Aside from Garin and Duque, other respondents include Sanofi executives and vaccine distributor Zuellig Pharma, and officials of the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine, Philippine Children’s Medical Center and Food and Drug Administration.

Public Attorney’s Office chief Persida Rueda-Acosta has been actively supporting the parents and relatives in their search for justice for the untimely deaths of their children.