MANILA, Philippines – Augusto “Boboy” Syjuco Jr filed on Friday, December 15, a rather bizarre complaint before the Office of the Ombudsman over the controversial vaccination program that was launched during the administration of former President Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III.

His 8-page complaint – which accuses Aquino and the latter’s health secretary, Janette Garin, of “mass murder, and other related and resultant crimes through reckless imprudence, and negligence, and plunder and graft and corruption” – was adorned by clip art.

A computer-generated ghostface is pasted across the part of the complaint that likens the Dengvaxia immunization program to the killing of elite cops in Mamasapano, Maguindanao, which also happened in Aquino’s watch. To illustrate the speed by which the contract with French pharmaceutical company was approved and the program was implemented in the Philippines, Syjuco pasted a lightning clip art.

Syjuco, the chief of the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority under the Arroyo administration, submitted exhibits comprising of 23 news reports. He indicated that “the authors and investigative reporters may readily be called upon to render expert testimonies.”

News reports are considered hearsay in a criminal proceeding, unless substantiated.

Syjuco cites supposed “life-threatening” effects of the vaccine Dengvaxia, which came under fire after pharmaceutical firm Sanofi Pasteur revealed that individuals who have not had dengue before who got the vaccine may acquire severe dengue symptoms.

“I welcome the case filed by Syjuco. This will give us a platform to be fully heard, present all documents without bias and prove our innocence. This is an opportunity to put a closure to this issue and let the truth come out,” Garin said.

Complaint

    Boy Syjuco’s ’mass murder’ complaint vs Aquino over dengvaxia by Lian Nami Buan on Scribd

“What horrors or dengue-related deaths await our 733,000 9-year-old or older loved ones in the National Capital Region (NCR), Central Luzon and Calabarzon, who received the Aquino Dengvaxia inoculations?” Syjuco said.

During the Senate hearing, Sanofi Pasteur Asia Pacific head Thomas Triomphe said Dengvaxia is safe and effective and there should be no cause for scare, although Sanofi’s November 29 announcement said Dengvaxia could cause “severe dengue” in persons who had not have not had the infection before they got the vaccine. Its clinical data showed there is risk of dengue before and after getting the vaccine.

Aquino attended the Senate hearing and said they opted not to risk waiting longer, when dengue could be prevented through the vaccine during his time. “I just want to state for the record, what we had then, none of these warnings in November 2017,” Aquino said, referring to Sanofi’s latest disclosure.

Medical experts said Aquino could have been fed with wrong information, since Garin ignored the recommendation of local experts against the commercial use of Dengvaxia. 

Both houses of Congress, as well as the Department of Justice (DOJ), are investigating possible irregularities in the approval, procurement and distribution of the world’s first dengue vaccine.

Syjuco called Aquino a “sick-o” who must not be forgiven for his “crime against humanity.”

Syjuco also said the Ombudsman Conchita Carpio Morales must be impeached for selective justice, citing the corruption cases he’s facing before anti-graft court Sandganbayan.

Syjuco is a political rival of the Garins in Iloilo. 

WATCH: Syjuco jumps in on the calls for impeachment of Ombudsman Morales pic.twitter.com/LosG57tupt

— Lian Buan (@lianbuan) December 15, 2017

– Rappler.com