FIRING LINE: Ganging up on Leachon

FIRING LINE: Ganging up on Leachon

By Robert B. Roque Jr. l October 29, 2026

Three highly respected physicians, backed by House Deputy Speaker Janette Garin, have gone to the Professional Regulation Commission (PRC) to question fellow physician Dr. Tony Leachon’s conduct.

Dr. Kenneth Hartigan-Go says doctors must broadcast only verified science and accuses Leachon of making unsupported claims about vaccine-related conditions that stoked public fear. Dr. Socorro Lupisan accuses him of unverified attacks on fellow professionals and corruption allegations lacking credible proof. Dr. Julius Lecciones, for his part, argues Leachon, an internist and cardiologist, overstepped his expertise on pediatric public health and chose media exposure over professional solidarity.

The reason behind coming after Leachon, though, seems to me as needing a bit more scrutiny than just the complaints being raised.

Hartigan-Go is a former Department of Health (DOH) secretary. Lupisan is the former director of the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine (RITM). And Lecciones formerly headed the Philippine Children’s Medical Center. Bring in Garin, and you now have the same motley crew who were collectively investigated and later charged in connection with the controversial Dengvaxia mass immunization program implemented in late 2015.

That happens to be one of the most criticized issues by Leachon.

Still, Garin brought boxes of evidence to the PRC, seeking the revocation of his license, after fierce House privilege speeches against fake medical information.

But the optics remain awkward. The Sandiganbayan acquitted Garin earlier this month of graft and technical malversation over Dengvaxia, finding no evident bad faith and noting that authority over realigning savings rested with then-President Aquino.

Regardless, you cannot prevent the public from being skeptical. A dark cloud of doubt lingers, and Garin is seen as the leader of that “palpak” pack that led to something like 35 homicide and injury cases that are still pending in Quezon City over Dengvaxia administration. And a prosecution witness in these? You guessed it right: Leachon.

When interviewed, Garin also pinned falling vaccine uptake —hepatitis and the like — on Leachon as if one man’s opinions dictated that trend.

What about the other headlines that eroded trust in vaccines? There were publicized allergic reactions after COVID shots, reported deaths of students after school deworming this year, and, of course, the expired or soon-to-expire vaccines DOH were unashamed to distribute under the very unapologetic former Secretary Ted Herbosa.

If that did not erode public trust in the country’s health programs, perhaps other ridiculous issues that hogged the DOH did: ₱1.5 billion in dead stock and expired medicines; ₱44.6 million in psychiatric drugs given to a Rotary club; an unliquidated ₱1.29 billion UNICEF transfer; bid-rigging claims over mobile clinics; and whimsical personnel reshuffles.

Leachon himself criticized Herbosa over the ₱89.9-billion PhilHealth transfer. It was such a relief Herbosa exited that many celebrated the assumption of Dr. Edwin Mercado as Health Chief last August, even if no common Pinoy really knew him.

Well, back to Leachon and the PRC – perhaps, he can be complained about by his peers. But to accuse him of single-handedly bruising the DOH’s credibility and its vaccination program, among others, is far more than Leachon’s commentary could ever do. And methinks the PRC knows that.

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