Richard Gomez Risks Misunderstanding Journalism
Leyte 4th District Rep. Richard Gomez recently sparked controversy after posting on social media the messages he received from several reporters and producers seeking his comment for a news story. This act, experts warn, risks fostering a misunderstanding of journalism and normalizing doxxing against media workers and ordinary citizens alike.
University of the Philippines College of Media and Communication professor Danilo Arao expressed concern that such actions could endanger press freedom. “It’s dangerous that there will be a misunderstanding of journalism and the normalization of doxxing might also be perpetrated not just against journalists but also against ordinary citizens,” Arao said in a recent interview.
Requests for Comment Were Respectful
On Thursday, at least six news organizations sought Gomez’s response to allegations made by Matag-ob, Leyte Mayor Bernie Tacoy. The mayor claimed that Gomez failed to coordinate flood control projects with the local government and that the flawed initiatives were attributed to the congressman.
Gomez responded by sharing screenshots of the reporters’ and producers’ messages on social media, including their names and phone numbers without redactions, accompanied by his comment in Filipino: “The media spin being done against me is expensive.” Community members noted that this action raised privacy and ethical concerns.
Arao reviewed the screenshots and emphasized that the requests were “nothing out of the ordinary” and were “very respectful.” He added, “That (Gomez’ post) is unacceptable insofar as journalism is concerned. We cannot subject our journalists to public ridicule just for simply doing their jobs.”
Data Privacy Act Violations Highlighted
Experts also pointed to the Republic Act 10173, or the Data Privacy Act, in relation to Gomez’s public sharing of the reporters’ personal information. Arao explained, “The problem there is it (the exposed names and numbers) can be used for identity theft or it can be used to harass and intimidate the media.”
He stressed that Gomez could have simply declined the interview requests by saying, “No, I don’t want to be interviewed by you or your news media organization.” Instead, by posting the messages, Gomez exposed routine journalistic activities and implied malicious intent, even accusing select media entities of being “bayaran” or paid hacks, claiming that the budget for defaming him has been higher.
Calls for Accountability and Apology
Following the incident, Deputy Speaker Ronaldo Puno urged media organizations to bring Gomez’s social media post to the House of Representatives ethics committee. Local leaders and media advocates echoed this call for accountability.
“Gomez has a lot to be answerable for,” Arao said. “Facing the ethics committee of the House, that could be done. But, the most immediate is for him to publicly apologize and to admit that there was something wrong with what he did.”
He further emphasized journalism’s crucial role, stating, “We should remember that journalism is as important now as before and, in fact, the irony of the situation is that journalism becomes more important during times of crisis.”
Awaiting Further Response
Efforts to obtain additional comments from Gomez have so far been unsuccessful. Meanwhile, the incident continues to spark discussions on the boundaries of media interaction and the protection of journalists’ rights in the digital age.
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