How do I open workbook programmatically as read-only?

Check out the language reference:

http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/aa195811(office.11).aspx

expression.Open(FileName, UpdateLinks, ReadOnly, Format, Password, WriteResPassword, IgnoreReadOnlyRecommended, Origin, Delimiter, Editable, Notify, Converter, AddToMru, Local, CorruptLoad)

Does this work?

Workbooks.Open Filename:=filepath, ReadOnly:=True

Or, as pointed out in a comment, to keep a reference to the opened workbook:

Dim book As Workbook
Set book = Workbooks.Open(Filename:=filepath, ReadOnly:=True)