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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider More solons hit Leachon over Recto resignation call; 'Public health expert' tag assailed

More solons hit Leachon over Recto resignation call; 'Public health expert' tag assailed

Published May 11, 2026 01:47 pm

At A Glance

  • Several House members, including Reps. Zia Alonto Adiong and Joel Chua, criticized Dr. Tony Leachon for calling on Executive Secretary Ralph Recto to resign.
  • Deputy Speaker Janette Garin has questioned Leachon's credibility as a "public health expert", claiming he never formally studied public health and only labeled himself as such.
  • Garin further has accused Leachon of weak testimony in Dengvaxia-related cases.
Dr. Tony Leachon (Facebook)
Dr. Tony Leachon (Facebook)


It looks like health reform advocate Dr. Tony Leachon irked more congressmen than previously thought with his resignation call against Executive Secretary (ES) Ralph Recto.
Lashing out at Leachon on Monday, May 11, were Lanao del Sur 2nd district Rep. Zia Alonto Adiong and Manila 3rd district Rep. Joel Chua.
On top of this, Deputy Speaker Iloilo 1st district Rep. Janette Garin--who has no love lost with Leachon over the Dengvaxia issue--has added more barbs to the ones she hurled last week when then latter first said that Recto should step down.
“Parang sirang plaka itong si Leachon. Tumutok na lang sya sa pasyente nya kaysa makisawsaw at manawagan ng resignation ni ES Recto," Adiong, a deputy majority leader, said.
(It’s like a broken record with Leachon. He should just focus on his patients instead of meddling and calling for the resignation of ES Recto.)
For his part, Chua, chairman of the House Committee on Good Government and Public Accountability, urged Leachon to confine himself to medical issues and to not stray into economics.
“Si Dr. Leachon ay hindi economista. Kaya mas maigi na siya ay mag focus sa profession kung saan nya sinasabi na siya’y may alam. Hayaan ang usaping economiya sa mga economista,” Chua said.
(Dr. Leachon is not an economist. So it’s better for him to focus on the profession where he claims to have knowledge. Leave economic matters to economists.)
'Public health expert'
Garin was among the first to criticize Leachon last week, along with Batangas 2nd district Rep. Gerville "Jinky Bitrics" Luistro, and San Juan City lone district Rep. Ysabel Maria Zamora.
But the Garin, a former Department of Health (DOH) secretary, has more things to say.
“Public health expert?" An incredulous Garin asked, in reference to Leachon. "It was [DOH] Sec. Ted Herbosa himself who affirmed that Leachon’s being a public health expert was his ‘requested label’ when interviewed."
“Hindi naman yan nakapag-aral ng public health, masteral nor doctorate. Siya lang naglagay ng claim na yan,” she added.
(He didn’t even study public health, a master’s, or a doctorate. He just made that claim himself.)
Garin went on to challenge Leachon to tell the public that the Dengvaxia-related complaints filed against her had been dismissed because his testimony was weak.
"Bakit hindi nya sabihin sa publiko na kaya dismissed yung mga kaso sa RTC (regional trial court) dahil sya lang naman ang ‘expert witness’ kung saan sinabi niyang ‘we soaked the bodies in water’ when asked how an autopsy is conducted,” she said.
(Why doesn’t he tell the public that the cases were dismissed in the RTC because he was the only ‘expert witness,’ where he said ‘we soaked the bodies in water’ when asked how an autopsy is conducted.)
“He also mentioned he is God’s gift to mankind. Parang siya ang salvation (Like he is salvation). Demurrer was granted because of fake autopsies and fake expert,” added the lady solon.

Related Tags

Tony Leachon Janette Garin ralph recto resignation Zia Alonto Adiong joel chua Dengvaxia
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