TWO more House leaders on Monday defended Executive Secretary Ralph Recto from the resignation call of Dr. Tony Leachon, a self-proclaimed “public health expert.”
“Parang sirang plaka itong si Leachon. Tumutok na lang sya sa pasyente nya kaysa makisawsaw at manawagan ng resignation ni ES Recto,” Deputy Majority Leader Zia Alonto Adiong of Lanao del Sur said.
For his part, Manila Rep. Joel Chua, who chairs the House committee on good government and public accountability, urged Leachon to confine himself to medical issues and should 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.
Meanwhile, Deputy Speaker Janette Garin of Iloilo, like Adiong, said Leachon sounds like a broken record.
“Parang sirang plaka na si Leachon. Public health expert?
It was (Health) Sec. Ted Herbosa himself who affirmed that Leachon’s being a public health expert was his ‘requested label’ when interviewed,” she said.
She said her colleague in the medical profession did not study public health.
“Hindi naman yan nakapag-aral ng public health, masteral nor doctorate. Siya lang naglagay ng claim na yan,” she added.
Garin, a former health secretary, asked Leachon to tell the public that the Dengvaxia complaints against her had been dismissed because his testimony was weak.
“Bakit hindi nya sabihin sa publiko na kaya dismissed yung mga kaso sa RTC 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.
“He also mentioned he is God’s gift to mankind. Parang siya ang salvation. Demurrer was granted because of fake autopsies and fake expert,” added the Iloilo lady solon.
She said Leachon expected to be appointed health when Enrique Ona resigned as health department chief.
“He was expecting to be appointed SOH (secretary of health) when Secretary Ona resigned. Kaya ganyan ang galit sa akin,” she added.
