MANILA, Philippines — Two officials on Tuesday shrugged off former government adviser Dr. Anthony Leachon’s call to abolish the Inter-Agency Task Force on Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF) over its seemingly rash decision to allow the reopening of cinemas despite persistent threats of Covid-19 in the country.
Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said Leachon is just “sourgraping” and dismissed the doctor’s appeal for the abolition of the task force principally responsible for government policies on Covid-19 response.
“Ang tanong ko kay Dr. Tony Leachon, sir, the President has addressed your views. You’re sourgraping because he did not appoint you as Secretary of Health. Pasensyahan na lang po,” Roque said in a press conference.
Vaccine czar Carlito Galvez Jr., on the other hand, scored Leachon for not doing his best during his short stint in the government.
“Ang advice ko lang kay Dr. Leachon, hindi mo pinagbuti ang trabaho mo sa IATF at ang nakita natin, meron kang ulterior motive aside from serving our people kaya tinanggal ho namin kayo,” Galvez said in the same press conference.
(My advice to Dr. Leachon is that you didn’t do well in your job at the IATF because we saw that you had an ulterior motive aside from serving the people. That’s the reason why we removed you.)
“’Yun pa lang nakita natin na si Dr. Leachon wala talagang word of honor ‘yan, talagang mahirap makasama,” he added.
(The Dr. Leachon we witnessed has no word of honor and it’s really hard to work with him.)
On his Twitter account, Leachon made it clear that he has “no intention to work as [Secretary of Health].”
“I have a higher sense of purpose. I’m happy where I am as a practicing clinician. I’m coming from the point of relevance of some IATF guidelines being overruled by [President Duterte] and rejected by [Metro Manila] mayors,” Leachon also said.
I have no intention to work as Sec. Of Health. 😊. I have a higher sense of purpose.
I’m happy where I am as a practicing clinician. I’m coming from the point of relevance of some IATF guidelines being over ruled by PRRD and rejected by MM mayors.— Tony Leachon MD (@DrTonyLeachon) February 16, 2021
The IATF earlier allowed the reopening of cinemas, among other establishments, located in areas under general community quarantine. But this was rejected by Metro Manila mayors and consequently, its implementation was moved to March.
READ: Ex-gov’t adviser on Covid-19 questions cinema reopening in GCQ areas
It was during a television interview when Leachon called for IATF’s abolition because it has become “a bottleneck area for decisions not based on science.”
“Dapat wala na sigurong IATF kasi lagi namang naveveto at mas matatalino pa nga yung netizens natin e, practical sila mag-isip. I think it’s about time na irevisit nayin kung ano ang role ng IATF,” Leachon said Monday in an interview over One News PH.
Pressed if he meant he wanted IATF abolished, Leachon said: “I think so. Kasi it has become irrelevant at this point in time.”
Roque previously said President Rodrigo Duterte had repeatedly cursed at Leachon over his criticisms against the government, but these were deleted from the chief executive’s pre-recorded meeting/national address that was subsequently aired for public viewing.