ILOILO CITY — Former Department of Health (DOH) secretary Janet Garin on Friday filed four counts of libel cases against her successor Paulyn Jean Rosell-Ubial and three other health officials over their statements blaming her for the Dengvaxia fiasco and for “persistently maligning” her.
The three other respondents are Ubial’s former consultant Dr. Francisco S. Cruz, former health undersecretary Dr. Teodoro Herbosa, and health reform advocate Dr. Anthony Leachon.
The respondents were charged with violation of Republic Act 10175 otherwise known as the “Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012” filed at the Iloilo Provincial Prosecutors Office of the Ramon Avancena Hall of Justice in this city on Friday.
“That is no longer good. They are not only maligning the person but they are also creating public confusion and that is difficult to make accusations if you become part of hysteria, if you tolerate panic, and disrupt public health programs, the impact is very huge because we are not only the ones to be affected but also the younger generations,” she told the media in an interview here.
Garin also reiterated that her “conscience is clear” and that there is no problem if they are being investigated.
In her complaint, Garin noted that she was “maligned and dishonored” by the statements made by Ubial in her interviews and press conference last January 14 covered by different media outlets in the country.
She attached in her documents a compact disc with saved copies and clippings of interviews of Ubial and other officials to support her complaint.
“These public statements made by Dr. Ubial were totally malicious by imputing upon me (together with other DOH officials) of a crime, or of a vice or defect, or any act, omission, condition, status or circumstance,” she said in her complaint.
Garin said that this is already the second time she filed a libel case against Ubial’s former consultant Dr. Cruz, with the first one filed last January 26.
She added that Iloilo 1st District Rep. Richard Garin also filed the same complaint against Ubial on the same date.
He assured that they might be filing separate cases against the same respondents for moral damages. (PNA)
