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December 18, 2025 | 4:32pm
MANILA, Philippines — SEA Games 2025 silver medalist and Leyte 4th district representative Richard Gomez trended after figuring in a hitting incident captured on camera at the ongoing biennial event in Thailand.
A viral video shows a man hitting the back of the head of a silver-haired man in an event at the ongoing SEA Games.
Reports claimed that the men in the video are Richard Gomez, who hit the back of the head of Philippine Fencing Association
(PFA) president Rene Gacuma. Gomez is PFA director.
Philstar.com obtained Gacuma’s letter of complaint addressed to Dr. Raul Canlas, the head of the Philippine delegation of the SEA Games in Thailand.
Gacuma said he was “physically attacked” by Gomez, an athlete and current Leyte 4th District representative, while inside the venue on the first day of the international fencing competition last December 16.
Before the alleged attack
Gacuma recalled how the incident unfolded, stemming from the exclusion of fencer Alexa Larrazabal at the individual Women’s Epee event.
Larrazabal is the top epee fencer but her replacement in the event was decided upon the recommendation of the national fencing coach headed by Rolando Canlas who cited three reasons.
These include Larrazabal's “unauthorized and frequent absences" from national training without proper advice in the past three months, non-compliance of required visa travel documents on specific timelines, especially during the team’s culminating training camp in Incheon, South Korea, and “unresponsiveness to constant and repeated reminders from the national coaching staff including from fellow teammates” regarding her whereabouts.
Gacuma said these reasons were validated and reviewed by the other PFA directors, who unanimously decided on the evening of December 14. Larrazabal was replaced by Hanniel Abella.
The PFA president said the slapping incident occured when he approached Gomez intending to congratulate him for his silver finish at the Shotgun (Sporting Clay) Shooting Team event. He claimed that Gomez planted his right foot heavily on his left foot to limit his mobility, squeezed his right thumb very hard “like he wanted to dislocate it,” and questioned his authority to decide on replacing athletes. Gomez allegedly cursed at him and called him names.
The said commotion occured in the presence of other PFA directors.
He managed to release his left foot and as he turned his back to leave, Gomez struck his nape with “what I felt was a hard-closed fist right hook.”
Gacuma said that his blood pressure skyrocketed to 220/180 after the altercation. He also disclosed that he has a heart pacemaker and was a quadruple bypass survivor.
He left the venue after being attended to by Thai medical volunteers.
Gacuma said he is planning to consult with a legal counsel to decide on the appropriate charges against Gomez.
“Mr. Richard I. Gomez is so unbecoming of a public official and our NSA will deliberate and address a severe charge of misconduct against him,” Gacuma said.
Goma’s side
Gomez answered Gacuma's allegations in his interview with One News’ Cheryl Cosim.
The actor-politician, who is also known by his moniker Goma, acknowledged the incident in Thailand. He also confessed to not seeing the viral video.
He shared that he does not agree with the decision to replace Larrazabal in the event because the Ormoc athlete was the No. 1 fencer in the epee event. He also cited his past stint as the president of the fencing association and of him as a fencing athlete. He competed for the country at the 2005 SEA Games.
He was made aware of the reasons listed by Gacuma in the letter.
“Sabi nila kasi hindi daw nagte-training, kasi daw hindi nila nakikita. Sabi ko ilan lang naman nagte-training sa Ultra. Hindi niya nakikita sa Manila, it doesnt mean hindi nagte-training 'yan. Only to favor 'yung favorite nila na no. 4 sa individual. ‘Yun ang pinalit kay Alexa Larrazabal,” Gomez said.
He said that the replacement did not do well in her event, in contrast to Larrazabal who joined another fencing event and was the best perfomer of the team.
“Kaya ako nagagalit kasi ang sama ng decision-making ng president. Hindi rin talaga atleta ‘yan. Anong klaseng decision-making. Siya ‘yung lumapit sa akin. Nakatayo lang ako e. Nung lumapit siya sa akin, sabi ko bakit ganon ang ginawa ninyong decision-making na ginawa nila. So that’s how it started.
“Hindi ko nakita 'yung video e. Ganon talaga kami nag-confrontation habang nag-uusap kami because I was so mad. When the country is fighting for a medal, bakit mo ipapasok 'yung mas mahina na player? ‘Yun ‘yung sinasabi ko sa kanila e,” Gomez said.
He also alleged that months prior to the 2025 SEA Games, Larrazabal was being bullied.
“And then prior to that, months before that. Binu-bully nila itong si Alexa. Sabi ko, ‘You do not bully an athlete. ‘Wag ninyong bastusin ang mga athletes natin.’ So ako rin pa-file din ako ng kaso for bullying our athlete.
“Eh lumalapit siya sa akin e. Alangan namang halikan ko siya? Sige kung ganon nais niya, sino ba naman ako para umatras? It’s his right to file a complaint. Walang problema because ako I’m also filing a complaint for emotionally hurting my athlete. Atleta namin 'yan e. Niluwas namin e. We spent money para gumaling ang atleta namin tapos babastusin nila ng ganon, hindi nila palalaruin. Wala kasi silang experience kaya hindi marunong mag-decision,” Gomez said.
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