Bishop Ruperto Santos asked for prosecution and punishment of those responsible for placing the lives of children in danger.
“Our Church is not only concerned and caring with the disturbing and dangerous effects of the ill-advised Dengvaxia vaccine but we are very much affected,” he said.
He described as “disheartening and very depressing” the tragic news of the death of Christine Mae de Guzman, 10, Grade 5, of Barangay Sisiman, Mariveles, Bataan allegedly caused by the Dengvaxia vaccine.
De Guzman was vaccinated with the first dose of Dengvaxia on April 6, 2016.
On October 11, she got ill and after two days confined at the Maheseco Hospital in Mariveles.
On October 15, the little girl died at the Bataan General Hospital in Balanga City where she was transferred. Her parents said she had no history of dengue before vaccination.
“We, at the Diocese of Balanga, urgently and strongly call for full investigation of this serious matter and the prosecution and punishment of previous highest government officials. With their negligence and irresponsible actions, human life is put to danger and the future uncertain for those vaccinated children,” Santos said.
He said that life is not an experiment, not trial and error: “Life is erroneously lost, wasted by careless and irresponsible decisions of those government officials.”
Santos said Holy Masses will be offered for the victims of the controversial vaccine.
