Leyte 4th District Rep. Richard Gomez publicly apologized for posting the personal contact details of several journalists on social media, following his anger over being linked to an allegedly anomalous flood control project in his province.
In a privilege speech delivered on Sept. 2, Gomez expressed regret over his actions and thanked Congress for the opportunity to clarify his side.
“Thank you for this opportunity to defend myself and clarify some facts,” Gomez said.
“To the members of the press who took offense in my social media posts, I sincerely apologize. Sensitive information has been removed,” he said.
“I understand that the media endeavored to get my side of the story. I acknowledge your efforts. I’m sorry and I could have handled it better,” the former movie actor said.
On Aug. 28, Gomez posted a rant on Facebook in which he shared the names and numbers of several media practitioners who had sought his side regarding Matag-ob town Mayor Bernardino Tacoy allegation of a substandard flood mitigation project.
Instead of appreciating the reporters’ efforts to get his side of the story, Gomez mocked them and claimed that they were part of an orchestrated “media spin” aimed at sullying his reputation.
The Facebook post remained online for almost five days. (Ellson Quismorio)
