Dr. Anthony C. Leachon, a prominent independent health reform advocate and past president of the Philippine College of Physicians (PCP), has petitioned a local court to nullify a six-month suspension imposed on him by the medical organization.

Leachon announced that he filed an application for a temporary restraining order and a writ of preliminary injunction in the Pasig City Regional Trial Court on 19 June to immediately halt the implementation of the penalty.

Leachon said he brought the matter to court “not to weaken the institution, but to defend the principles of fairness, due process, and truth.”

He added that he continues to hold high regard for the organization and its thousands of internist members.

The suspension follows various public statements Leachon made during legislative inquiries before Congress, the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee, courts and public forums.

Leachon maintained that his remarks were never intended to defame anyone but were an exercise of his constitutional rights to advance public health, truth, and accountability.

“The credibility of a physician’s voice is everything,” Leachon said, citing that an unfairly tarnished reputation weakens public health advocacy.

He added that his greatest concern at this stage of his career is the legacy he leaves behind as a physician, teacher, and advocate, saying that he believes many Filipinos who have been let down by the state-run Philippine Health Insurance Corp. understand the stakes of his legal battle.