JV Ejercito says son given 3 doses of Dengvaxia

FILE: Ejercito, chair of the Senate Committee on Health, said that his son received the vaccine when he was around 15-years-old. (Photo: Philippine News Agency)

MANILA— Senator Joseph Victor Ejercito on Friday bared that his 17-year-old son, Jose Emilio, was given three doses of the controversial Dengvaxia dengue vaccine.

“I’m only going to disclose this now, my son received Dengvaxia three times. He finished the doses,” Ejercito said in a radio interview over DZBB.

Ejercito, chair of the Senate Committee on Health, said that his son received the vaccine when he was around 15-years-old.

His son has never been infected with dengue prior to receiving the vaccine.

It may be recalled that the vaccine was purchased by the Aquino administration in 2015 before recent reports showed that it could pose risks to those who have not been previously infected by the virus.

Ejercito admitted that if it were up to him, he would want manufacturer of the vaccine, pharmaceutical company Sanofi Pasteur to reimburse the amount paid by the government.

“As a father, if there will be a class suit, they (Sanofi) should refund what the national government paid for,” he said.

Senate President Pro-Tempore Ralph Recto earlier said that Sanofi is “duty-bound” to reimburse the amount since all government purchases are mandatorily covered by warranty under the Procurement Law or Republic Act 9184,.

The Department of Health earlier said more than 800,00 public schoolchildren nine-years-old and above in Metro Manila, Central Luzon and Calabarzon have received at least the first of three doses of the vaccine.