ORMOC City Mayor Lucy Torres-Gomez filed on Tuesday, May 6, 2025, a disqualification case before the Commission on Elections (Comelec) against Albuera, Leyte mayoral candidate Rolan "Kerwin" Espinosa.
The petition for disqualification was filed for alleged violation of Section 68 (e) in relation to Section 261 (e) of the Omnibus Election Code.
Torres-Gomez's petition stemmed from Espinosa's Facebook Live video on April 30, 2025, where he challenged Leyte Representative Richard Gomez, husband of the petitioner, to a gun fight.
In the same video, Espinosa suggested that members of the police and the Philippine Army act as referees in the proposed gun fight. He also enjoined Gomez to use his most powerful firearms.
He also told Gomez to sign a waiver that no cases will be filed in relation to the said gun fight.
The 40-minute and 15-second Facebook Live video was reportedly witnessed by over 900 live viewers. It came as a result of Espinosa s reaction to an oral defamation case filed against him by the Gomezes.
The oral defamation case was lodged in relation to a slew Facebook Live videos broadcast by Espinosa in the aftermath of a shooting incident where the Albuera mayoral candidate was shot and injured on April 10, 2025. (LMY)