ILOILO City – The Supreme Court (SC) has ordered the continuation of the trial for the second batch of 35 Dengvaxia-related cases against former Health Secretary and now congresswoman Janette Garin (Iloilo 1st District) and her co-accused.
Apart from Garin, also named respondents were officials from vaccine manufacturer Sanofi Pasteur, distributor Zuellig Pharma, and other health agencies.
These cases stemmed from complaints filed by the parents and relatives of children whose deaths were allegedly linked to the administration of the Dengvaxia vaccine.
The first batch of eight cases was dismissed by Judge Cleto Villacorta III of Quezon City Regional Trial Court Branch 228, a decision currently under challenge by Solicitor General Menardo Guevarra before the Court of Appeals.
The second batch, previously delayed due to repeated recusals by judges, is now under the jurisdiction of Quezon City RTC Branch 102, presided over by Judge Cecilyn Burgos-Villavert, ensuring that the legal process continues for these high-profile cases.
After Judge Cleto Villacorta III of Quezon City RTC Branch 228 inhibited himself from handling the remaining 35 cases, the cases were raffled to various judges who also recused themselves:
Judge Roslyn Rabara-Tria, of the RTC branch 86, recused due to her husband’s involvement as counsel for respondents.
Judge Mary Ayn Punzalan-Toribio, of the RTC branch 99, invoked Rule 137 of the Rules of Court, allowing judges to disqualify themselves at their discretion.
Judge Cecilyn Burgos-Villavert initially declined the case, arguing that Judge Punzalan-Toribio’s inhibition was premature.
The cases have now been assigned to Judge Cecilyn Burgos-Villavert of Quezon City RTC Branch 102, ensuring that the legal proceedings will move forward despite the delays caused by the repeated recusals.
The Supreme Court, through the Office of the Court Administrator (OCA), has directed Judge Burgos-Villavert to take cognizance of the second batch of 35 Dengvaxia-related cases and proceed with the trial.
OCA Assistant Court Administrator Lilian Barribal-Co emphasized that judges cannot arbitrarily refuse cases assigned to them, underscoring the need for adherence to procedural rules to ensure justice is served.
The SC’s latest directive came after delays caused by repeated recusals from various judges, marking a significant step in advancing the legal process for complaints filed by families of children whose deaths were allegedly linked to the Dengvaxia vaccine./PN
