Roque: Duterte displeased with Leachon’s criticisms

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PRESIDENTIAL spokesman Harry Roque yesterday said President Duterte was unhappy with the criticisms made by Dr. Anthony Leachon on the government’s response against the COVID-19 pandemic, which supposedly contributed to his removal as special adviser to the National Task Force (NTF) against COVID-19.

Roque said neither he nor Health Secretary Francisco Duque III had anything to do with Leachon’s removal.

“At noong huling pagpupulong po kay Presidente, nanggaling naman po kay Presidente na bakit nagsasalita ng ganito itong si Leachon. So let me correct you, Dr. Leachon: Hindi po ako, hindi si Secretary Duque, mismong Presidente po noted that you should not be doing what you were doing (During the last meeting with the President, the President himself asked why Leachon was talking this way. So let me correct you, Dr. Leachon: It was not me or Secretary Duque, it was the President who noted that you should not be doing what you were doing),” Roque said.

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Leachon on Wednesday claimed he was forced to resign from his post after Duque and Roque allegedly showed displeasure after he publicly revealed gaps in the government’s COVID-19 response measures.

Over the weekend, Leachon criticized the Department of Health (DOH) for “losing focus” on its priorities in containing COVID-19 infections, pointing out, among others, the DOH’s lack of sense of urgency, problems in COVID data management, and transparency in communication process.

Leachon said he was allegedly asked by NTF COVID-19 Chief Implementer Secretary Carlito Galvez Jr. to leave the task force.

Galvez, in a statement, said he maintains his respect for Leachon and thanked him for his services to the NTF.

He said he let Leachon go because the IATF and NTF “are collegial bodies that have to work in sync with each other.”

“Dr. Leachon’s preemptive releases of some information prior to official announcement and adaption jeopardized the communication efforts of the IATF and NTF and caused unwarranted misunderstanding between two entities that should be working together. He has been cautioned but remained deaf to collegial advice. Constructive criticism among colleagues is most welcome to assure improvement but this should have been done internally to maintain unity of effort,” Galvez said.

He added government institutions may not be perfect but the majority of those who are working and serving under these institutions are doing so with a lot of dedication even at the risk of their own lives and he believes that “in time, we shall smoothen out our processes”.

“These times also call for compassion and understanding for each and everyone and where unity of effort should run complementary. We cannot afford to be divisive in this fight where coming together as one will make us stronger to face this global health issue,” he added.

VALUABLE INPUTS

Interior Secretary Eduardo Año lamented the resignation of Leachon as he cited his contributions in the government’s fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.

Año, the IATF’s vice chairman, said he valued the inputs of Leachon on health issues “because he is straightforward, he wants that real data and real facts should be considered in making analysis and assessment.”

“He is sort of what you call a critical thinker,” Año said, adding that Leachon’s inputs helped him in making certain decisions.

Año said Leachon should have just kept his disagreement with other task force officials, saying: “Whatever the agreement and agreed communication line, then we all follow.”

“There might be a lot of messengers but there must be just one message. Maybe Dr. Tony Leachon, being a civilian, is not used to the rigid organization like in the government, in the AFP,” he added.

Año said Leachon has been freely giving comments about the COVID-19 issue “although some are already contradicting policies or even the official line of the IATF.”

Año said Leachon sent him as message to tell him he had resigned from the task force and that’s final. “So I told him that let us continue communicating and I need your input also from time to time,” he said. — With Victor Reyes

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