Lucy to replace Goma in House race

MANILA, Philippines - Television host Lucy Torres will replace her husband, actor Richard Gomez, in the congressional race in Ormoc, Leyte.

“We have decided to substitute Lucy to replace me as candidate in the fourth district of Ormoc, Leyte. We will not wait for en banc decision to come out. In that way, we will not have to go to the Supreme Court to fight another battle and spend more money, time and effort if we win this election,” Gomez said in a text message to The STAR.

Gomez, who is running for congressman in Ormoc, is facing a disqualification case for failure to comply with residency requirements.

Lucy is a native of the fourth district of Ormoc.

Buenaventura Juntilla, a resident and registered voter of Precinct No. 0209A, Barangay Libertad, Ormoc City, in his petition filed before the Commission on Elections last February, said Gomez made a blatant misrepresentation in his certificate of candidacy when he stated that he is a resident of 910 Carlota Hills, Ormoc City.

In his certificate of candidacy filed last Nov. 30, Gomez stated his place of birth as Manila and that he was born on April 7, 1966. Juntilla, assisted by lawyers Francisco Sibayan and Princess Principe, said Gomez is a bona fide resident of Colgate St., East Greenhills, San Juan City and has not resided in Ormoc.

In 2001, Gomez ran as a party-list representative for Mamamayan Ayaw sa Droga (MAD), an anti-drug group that he heads.

MAD gained a lot of votes in the elections, but was later disqualified as a party-list by the Comelec because the government had helped fund it.

Gomez also ran for the Senate in 2007 as an independent candidate, but lost.