Garin rebuts Leviste’s Dengvaxia jab on impeachment vote

By Mariela Angella Oladive

Iloilo 1st District Rep. Janette Garin pushed back against remarks made by Batangas 1st District Rep. Leandro Leviste linking her vote in favor of the impeachment complaint against Vice President Sara Duterte to the long-running Dengvaxia controversy.

Garin was among four Iloilo lawmakers who voted in favor of the House justice committee report recommending Duterte’s impeachment.

The report was approved in a unanimous vote during committee proceedings on May 4 and later transmitted to the House plenary for further action.

The impeachment complaints against Duterte cite allegations of unexplained wealth, misuse of state funds, and threatening remarks against President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and other top officials.

The complaint also cited the alleged misuse of PHP 612.5 million in confidential funds under the Office of the Vice President and the Department of Education during Duterte’s tenure as education secretary, including alleged irregular disbursements, questionable liquidation reports, and unverifiable recipients.

It also cited alleged unexplained wealth, billions of pesos in transactions flagged by the Anti-Money Laundering Council, bribery and corruption allegations involving DepEd officials, and public statements interpreted as threats against Marcos, first lady Liza Araneta-Marcos, and former Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez.

In a Mother’s Day Facebook post, Leviste insinuated that Garin’s vote was connected to her involvement in the Dengvaxia controversy.

“Happy Mother’s Day, Cong. Janette Garin! Kaya mo raw kailangang bumoto para sa impeachment dahil sa kaso mo sa Dengvaxia, ayon sa kaibigan mo. Pagkatapos ng botohan, sana maresolba na ang mga kaso mo,” Leviste wrote.

Garin later issued a press statement on the same platform rejecting the insinuation.

“The Dengvaxia scare is a diversion from the fundamental public health challenges of the previous administration,” Garin said.

She added that efforts to revive the issue continue despite the dismissal of cases filed against her.

“It is unfortunate that there are persistent efforts to revive this issue when it is already an established fact that the cases against me have been dismissed,” she said.

Garin also questioned the evidence and testimonies used against her during the controversy.

“It is also alarming how they use unverified autopsies and incredible testimonies in their desperate attempt to destroy my reputation. Still, we will not be deterred by such disinformation and we will remain steadfast in our commitment to the truth,” she added.

Despite the criticism, Garin thanked Leviste for his greeting, noting it was close to her heart.

The Dengvaxia controversy stemmed from the government’s dengue immunization program launched in 2016 during Garin’s term as Health secretary under the administration of former President Benigno Aquino III.

In 2017, vaccine manufacturer Sanofi Pasteur disclosed that Dengvaxia could pose a higher risk of severe dengue among individuals who had not previously contracted the disease before vaccination.

The issue triggered public outrage and led to multiple complaints and investigations involving former health officials, including Garin.

Some complaints linked to the controversy were later dismissed, while other Dengvaxia-related cases have remained pending before the courts. A Quezon City court recently rejected motions by Garin and several co-accused to dismiss multiple Dengvaxia-related cases.