The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) indicted before the Office of the Ombudsman former President Benigno Aquino III for graft and technical malversation over the anomalous purchase of P3.5 billion worth of anti-dengue vaccines.
Included in the NBI complaint are former Budget Secretary Florencio Abad, former Health Secretary Janette Garin, several former and incumbent officials of the Department of Health (DoH) and private individuals over the purchase of Dengvaxia vaccines from French pharmaceutical giant Sanofi Pasteur.
The NBI filed the charges after following its own investigation based on the 4 December 2017 order of former Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II to look into the controversy involving the purchase of the vaccine.
In a letter addressed to Ombudsman Conchita Carpio-Morales, NBI Director Dante Gierran sought the conduct of preliminary investigation against Aquino and other officials for conniving to introduce the Dengvaxia vaccine in the country.
The NBI said the officials circumvented procurement and other government processes in the purchase of the vaccine.
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The NBI sought the prosecution of Aquino for technical malversation after he “declared the use of savings from the 2015 Mutual Benefit Personnel Fund and use the same to ‘augment’ a non-existent anti-dengue immunization program.”
“A review of the 2015 GAA (General Appropriations Act) finds no reference to any item or program, activity or project for the procurement of anti-dengue vaccine in particular,” the NBI said.
Apart from Aquino, Abad and Garin, also named respondents were Health officials Maria Joyce Ducusin, Julius Lecciones, Maria Wilda Silva, Mario Baquilod and Rosalind Vianzon.
The agency also recommended that former Health Secretary Paulyn Ubial be investigated for technical malversation for pursuing the dengue vaccine program project.
“There is technical malversation because government funds amounting to P3 billion intended for the 2015 Miscellaneous Personnel Benefit Fund (MPBF) of the Executive Department was utilized for the procurement of Dengvaxia under the DoH school-based immunization program,” the complaint read.
It added, “Although the source of funds was declared as savings by the Chief Executive, its intended purpose failed as there is no existing program, activity or project for dengue procurement and immunization.”
