Physician and public health advocate Tony Leachon on Monday, May 25, 2026, filed plunder and technical malversation charges before the Office of the Ombudsman against Executive Secretary Ralph Recto and several Cabinet officials. The complaint alleges the diversion of funds from the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) and the Philippine Deposit Insurance Corporation (PDIC).
According to the complaint, the respondents are accused of violating Republic Act No. 7080 (Plunder Law) and Article 220 of the Revised Penal Code (Technical Malversation) for allegedly using billions of pesos from PhilHealth and PDIC for purposes not authorized by law. Leachon, a former special adviser to the Department of Health, claims the funds were diverted to cover budget shortfalls in other government programs.
The Office of the Ombudsman has yet to comment on the filing. As of press time, no official statement has been released by the Office of the Executive Secretary or the named Cabinet officials. The case is expected to undergo preliminary investigation.
