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Thursday, March t2, 2O2O
Court junks Garin's
plea to dismiss vaccine raPS
BY ASIIZEL IIACIIERO
A QUEZON ciry court yesrerday junked the
plea of former health secretary and now IIoiJo
ilep. lanette Garin seekiog rhe dismissal of
the damage suit 6led against her by a parent
whose child died after being vaccinated by the
controversial anti-dengue vaccine Dengvaxia.
Quezor Gty fugional Trial Court Branch 230
nai" larl" Cira"fu j?r-Pangilinan dismissedta-
!in's contention that it has no jurisdiction to hear
tie case since none of the parties reside in the city
In her ding, Loja-PlngiJ.inan said the com-
plainant. Ian Colite. has the prerogative ro
ahoose the venue to file het complaint. CoJite
sought legal action against Garin aftet he lost
tn
f.4f.,C - r1; "
his son in Decembet 2017 aftet being inoculated
with Dengvaxia.
"The Court 6nds the venue properly laid out
bv *re comolainant when he qhose to file it in
ii.- Coun b'v ,.uson of residence of one of the
-\-.: -
imilead& defendants which he consrders as a
pnncipal defendand' rhe mling said. referring ro
Zuellig which is the local d stribu or of the raccine
r
Dengvaxia was made by the French pharma
ceutical giant Sanofi Pasteur.
As to the lack of action as alleged by Gadn,
the court said it found the comPlaint sufncient
to oroceed with the rial.
J'The
Court finds the alegaton in the complainr
sufdcient to constitute a cause of action," it ru1ed.
Garin can appeal t}le ruling widrin 15 days