House members also dismayed by Richard Gomez's anti-journalist rant
At A Glance
- Even Leyte 1st district Rep. Richard Gomez's colleagues at the House of Representatives have expressed dismay over his "doxxing" of journalists who just wanted to get his side on allegations linked to controversial flood control projects.
Leyte 1st district Rep. Richard Gomez (Facebook)
Even Leyte 4th district Rep. Richard Gomez's colleagues at the House of Representatives have expressed dismay over his "doxxing" of journalists who just wanted to get his side on allegations linked to controversial flood control projects.
"We lament Representative Gomez's doxxing of journalists who were simply doing their job," ACT Teachers Representative Antonio Tinio said in a statement Saturday, Aug. 30.
Incidentally Aug. 30 is National Press Freedom Day.
Kabataan Party-list Representative Atty. Renee Louise Co, Tinio's fellow Makabayan bloc solon, expressed similar sentiments over Gomez's actions and emphasized the broader implications of such attacks on media workers.
"We raise serious concern over the disclosure of personal information which constitutes a direct threat to media workers,"Co stated.
The Makabayan lawmakers stress that journalists who seek comment from public officials are exercising their fundamental role in democracy.
"The media were exercising their right and duty to seek balanced reporting. Hindi kasalanan ng media na humingi ng panig ni Rep. Gomez - binibigyan nila siya ng pagkakataong magpaliwanag (It’s not an offense on the media's part to get Rep. Gomez's side - they're giving him the chance to explain)," Tinio said.
Co, for her part, noted the irony of such attacks occurring on Press Freedom Day itself. "It is deeply troubling that on National Press Freedom Day, we witness such blatant disregard for media rights."
The Makabayan bloc also highlighted its commitment to press freedom through legislation.
"Just the other day, we filed the Campus Press Freedom bill to protect student journalists. Patunay ito ng aming patuloy na pagtatanggol sa kalayaang pang-media sa lahat ng antas (This is proof of our continuing defense of press freedom in all levels)," Co noted.