CA upholds consolidation of Dengvaxia cases into one QC family court

The Court of Appeals (CA) has upheld the Quezon City Regional Trial Court’s (QCRTC) decision to consolidate all Dengvaxia-related cases into one family court.

In a resolution promulgated by the CA’s Former Special Seventh Division on 16 July 2025, the appellate court dismissed the motion for reconsideration filed by Zuellig Pharma Corporation and Sanofi Pasteur Inc., sustaining its earlier ruling issued on 25 November 2024.

Sanofi Pasteur is the manufacturer of the banned Dengvaxia vaccine, while Zuellig Pharma is its distributor in the Philippines.

Associate Justice Mary Charlene Hernandez-Azura wrote in the resolution: “Upon careful review, we find that the arguments and issues by Zuellig in its motion for reconsideration are mere rehash of the very same arguments and issues that have already been settled and resolved in the decision dated November 25, 2025 being sought to be reconsidered.”

The resolution was concurred with by Associate Justices Emily Alino-Geluz and Roberto Quiroz.

The petitioners had questioned the QC-RTC Branch 230 order consolidating the cases of heirs Ian Colite and Ariel Hedia, arguing that the requirements for consolidation were absent and that it would prejudice their rights.

However, in its 25 November 2024 ruling, the CA found no grave abuse of discretion on the part of the trial court. It held that consolidation would serve the interest of justice and allow simultaneous trial of cases involving the same factual background and issues.

“This Court deems the consolidation ordered by the public respondent proper and holds that the interest of justice will better be served if the instant case will be consolidated, and tried simultaneously, with all other cases involving the same factual milieu and issues,” the CA stated.

It explained that consolidation prevents multiplicity of suits, avoids delays, eases court dockets, and simplifies the trial process.

The CA noted that the Colite case is among several complaints for damages filed by families of alleged victims of the Dengvaxia immunization program of the Department of Health (DOH). While the parties are not identical, they share common interests in the same subject matter.

“All the cases are intimately related as they involve the alleged irregular procurement of the Dengvaxia vaccine and its eventual alleged improper implementation during the Dengvaxia immunization program by the DOH, the alleged negligence of the defendants and petitioners relative to its registration, purchase and subsequent administration of the Dengvaxia vaccine,” the resolution read.

Public Attorney’s Office (PAO) chief Persida Rueda-Acosta, whose office represents the victims’ families, welcomed the ruling and expressed hope it would speed up the trial of the long-delayed cases.

She said grieving parents had been deprived of justice for several years.

Former DOH secretary and now Iloilo Rep. Janette Garin is the principal accused in related criminal cases pending before a Quezon City family court.