Leyte Rep. Richard Gomez faces disqualification petition

Leyte Representative Richard Gomez is facing a disqualification case related to accusations of spreading false information about the upcoming midterm elections. The case was filed by William Oñate, a candidate for mayor in Palompon, Leyte, on March 17 before the Commission on Elections (Comelec). Gomez is seeking reelection to his seat in the May 12 elections. His wife, Lucy Torres-Gomez, is also running for mayor in Ormoc City. The petition claims that Gomez violated election laws by sharing a video on his Facebook page that allegedly contained misleading accusations about members of the Electoral Board. The video was part of a local radio program and included claims about election cheating. Gomez captioned his post by suggesting serious election fraud was expected in Palompon. Oñate's legal team argues that sharing such information is an election offense. Oñate wants the Comelec to declare any votes for Gomez as invalid if the disqualification case resolves before the election date. Gomez responded by saying that such cases are often used to distract from other candidates’ misconduct. He emphasized that anyone can file an election-related case, even with what he calls "baseless" claims.