MANILA - The Public Attorney’s Office (PAO) on Wednesday filed its 12th criminal case in connection with government’s halted Dengvaxia vaccination program.

The private complainants in the case are Manuel Ramirez, Jr. and Kristina Ramirez whose 11-year old nephew, John Paul R. Rafael, died on April 11, 2016, 11 days after receiving his first dose of Dengvaxia.

The complaint is for reckless imprudence resulting in homicide, torture resulting in death, torture committed against children, and defective product and mislabeled product.

Charged were:
- former Health Secretary Janette Garin
- Dr. Vicente Belizario, Jr., health undersecretary for technical services at the time of the Dengvaxia procurement
- Dr. Kenneth Hartigan-Go, health undersecretary for the Office of the Health Regulation
- other former and incumbent health officials
- officers of vaccine manufacturer Sanofi Pasteur
- officers of distributor Zuellig Pharma

Other “senior government officials” were listed as ‘John Does,’ as the PAO explained that it is still in the process of collating evidence against them.

The complaint stated that John Paul was inoculated on March 31, 2016. He contracted fever thereafter, then had stomachache.

“Prior to receiving the vaccine, John Paul was a healthy, strong and active kid who seldom got sick. He was even engaged in track and field activities in school. He never had any serious illness, including dengue, and had never been hospitalized. He received no notable medication other than Dengvaxia,” the complaint read.

"After receiving the vaccine, John Paul had fever. On 3 April 2016, John Paul started to have stomachache. He vomited and suffered loose bowel movement so complainants (Manuel and Kristina Ramirez) brought him to Bagac Community and Medicare Hospital (BCMH) in Bagac, Bataan."

John Paul underwent urine and stool examinations, as well as routine blood count. He was given medication intended for amoebiasis.

“However, John Paul did not get well. His stomachache, vomiting and loose bowel movement persisted. Complainants also noticed that he was listless. After a few days, John Paul’s feet swelled. On the following days, his legs also swelled. The swelling reached his face on 9 April 2016….On 11 April 2016, John Paul passed away.”

His death certificate states the cause of death was pulmonary edema, coupled with congenital heart disease and acute gastroenteritis.

Upon request of complainants, the PAO forensic team conducted a forensic examination on the body of John Paul and found that his death and that of the other alleged Dengvaxia-related deaths consisted of the "same pattern:" vaccine recipients became sick after vaccination and required hospitalization only after vaccination; most common symptoms are headache, abdominal pain, and at times also with rashes, body weakness, slurred speech, and difficulty in breathing.

The forensic team also pointed out that vaccine recipients died “as early as 7 days and up to several months (1-21) months after vaccination of the last dose of Dengvaxia” and forensic examination showed “enlargement of organs and extensive bleeding in various organs.”

Meantime, respondent Sanofi officers impleaded in the first 11 complaints asked, through their lawyers, to be given more time to submit their respective counter-affidavits. During Wednesday’s continuation of preliminary investigation, the DOJ gave them up to August 30 to submit the same.