FORMER President Benigno Aquino III on Thursday branded as harassment the complaint filed against him and his two former Cabinet members before the Commission on Elections in connection with the anti-dengue program implemented by the government during the 2016 election period.
Aquino and former Cabinet members — Janette Garin (Health) and Florencio Abad (Budget and Management )— and other Health department officials were subpoenaed by the Comelec Law Division to answer the allegations made by two doctors and members of the Volunteers Against Crime and Corruption that they violated election laws when they start implementing the program.
Aquino and Garin submitted their counter-affidavits.
The Omnibus Election Code prohibits the release, disbursement, or spending public funds for any public official or employee, including barangay officials and those of government-owned or controlled corporations and their subsidiaries, 45 days before a regular election.
The Comelec, however, grants exemptions to specific projects during the election ban when requested by concerned agencies.
In a press conference, Aquino and Garin explained that no less than the Comelec told them there was no need for them to seek for an exemption in implementing the vaccination program despite the prevailing ban.
“You will ask for an exemption to take away the gray area. But it is prohibited to disburse from March 25 until May 8. So why ask for an exemption if it is not yet covered,” said Aquino.
He said the program did not begin inside the election period ban since the purchase order for Dengvaxia vaccine was tendered on March 9, 2016, which is 16 days before the start of the ban on March 25, 2016.
In addition, the former President said logic dictates that they should not deprive the public from a life-saving measure just because an election is forthcoming.
“The job of protecting the people’s health cannot be held in abeyance by the elections,” said Aquino.
Garin added: “Based on our understanding, an exemption is not necessary since the disbursement of funds did not happen during the ban period.”
Asked who in the commission told them that an exemption is unnecessary, Garin was not able to identify anyone in particular.
“My director at the DoH asked the Comelec which of our public health programs required exemption, [and] we were told that an exemption is not needed because it is not covered by the election ban,” she said.
Garin insisted that the program was purely a health project and was void of politics. “Everything is above board and is beyond politics. It is a purely health issue.”
“There was absolutely no politics involved in the school-based dengue immunization program I implemented. The recipients of the program are not voters. It could not have swayed any election results,” Garin added.
Aquino questioned the motives for filing the complaint.
“Why did they file this complaint? It is clear that the point of all this is harassment. It seems that some are correct in saying that the end goal for this is not justice, but rather to get attention in order to be appointed in office,” Aquino said.
Asked who is he referring to, he did not mince words in identifying members of the VACC.
“Please tell me how many VACC members have been appointed already?” asked Aquino.
The complainants in the case were VACC members and two doctors Francisco Cruz and Clarito Cairo.
The government stopped the implementation of the vaccination program following reports that Dengvaxia, introduced by giant pharmaceutical France-based firm Sanofi Pasteur, may pose harm to those who had not been previously infected with the dengue virus.
Dengvaxia has been given to about 830,000 children and there were reports of deaths involving minors who were given the vaccine.