PAO chief Persida Rueda-Acosta INQUIRER file photo / Edwin Bacasmas
Responding to allegations that the Public Attorney鈥檚 Office (PAO) investigation into the scrapped national anti-dengue vaccination program is merely a political stunt, PAO Chief Persida Acosta said that the issue goes beyond it.
鈥淗indi po pulitika 鈥榯o eh, krimen ito.聽 Crime differs from politics,鈥� Acosta said in an interview with Radyo Inquirer on Thursday.
鈥淪abi ng iba, pulitika 鈥榶an, kaya ayaw naming sumuporta dyan. Papaano naging pulitika 鈥榶an eh nagkakamatayan ang mga bata?聽 Iba po ang crime sa politics, spelling pa lang magkaiba na eh,鈥� she added.
(Others say this is politics that is why they are not supporting it. How this one becomes part of politics, children are already dying? Crime is different from politics, spelling for one is already different.)
Acosta made her comments after reacting to a recent study by the New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM) doctors on the safety and efficacy of dengue vaccines on seronegative patients, or those who have not been infected with the disease.
The study found out that seronegative patients are exposed to risks after vaccination, compared to seropositive recipients.
鈥淚 have not read that, ngayon ko lang nalaman 鈥榶an, at nagpapasalamat po ako na meron palang mga doktor na talagang tumutulong,鈥� Acosta said.
(I just learned it now, and I am so thankful that there are doctors who are helping.)
READ: Study on anti-dengue vaccine affirms PAO鈥檚 Dengvaxia probe, says Acosta
On fairness and malice
Acosta called on the media to be fair in covering and reporting the issue, saying that PAO鈥檚 efforts are just being done out of concern over the welfare of the Filipino people.
鈥淧asintabi lang sa mga kasama sa media, 鈥榳ag naman sana nila ipagpalit sa kumikinang ang hustisya,鈥� Acosta said, who has previously claimed that journalists purposely missed her press conferences in exchange for 鈥榚nvelopes.鈥欌��
(With due respect to the members of the media, I hope you would not replace justice with those that are perceived to be shining.)
The PAO chief added that more cases will be filed in the coming days, while dismissing allegations that PAO鈥檚 moves come with malice.
鈥淟ilinawin ko lang, hindi ako ang nagdemanda, ang mga magulang.聽 Ngayon merong statement ang isang opisyal ng gobyerno, ako daw malisyosa, bakit ko siya dinemanda,鈥� Acosta said, who was seemingly referring to Department of Health (DOH) Secretary Francisco Duque.
(I just want to make it clear: I wasn鈥檛 the one who filed the case but the parents. Now there is a statement coming from one of the government officials saying I was malicious telling me why I filed the case.)
Duque has claimed in the past that the cases PAO filed against him are 鈥渕alicious.鈥澛� He has clashed with Acosta several times regarding the Dengvaxia issue, with the latter claiming that he was consulted before the previous DOH officials procured the controversial vaccines.
鈥淲hy was I impleaded and Ubial was not? I find that malicious,鈥� Duque said in a previous report, reasoning that the immunization program did not continue during his time at the DOH.
READ: Acosta accuses Health execs of links with Dengvaxia program /
Duque goes ballistic over raps
However, Acosta claims that the parents of the victims are merely exercising their right in pursuit of justice.
鈥淎ko raw, oppressive. Hindi po ako ang nagdemanda sa kanya, ang nagdemanda sa kanya ang mga magulang ng namatayan at karapatan nila 鈥榶on [He claimed I was oppressive. I wasn鈥檛 the one who filed the case against him, the parents who lost their loved ones has that right],鈥� Acosta added. /jpv