UST fencers have been dragged into a public dispute involving Leyte Rep. Richard Gomez and the Philippine Fencing Association (PFA) during the 2025 Southeast Asian (SEA) Games.
Alexa Larrazabal, a Tiger Fencer and UAAP Season 87 Rookie of the Year, was pulled from the women’s individual épée event and replaced by former Tiger fencer Hanniel Abella. The PFA said the decision stemmed from missed training sessions and delays in securing travel documents.
Larrazabal’s removal — notable because she is from Ormoc City in Leyte, Gomez’s political bailiwick — sparked sharp criticism from the congressman, who also sits as a PFA director.
The dispute escalated after PFA President Rene Peter Paul Lladoc Gacuma filed a formal complaint with Philippine SEA Games chef de mission Dr. Raul Canlas, alleging Gomez acted aggressively during a handshake attempt and struck him on the back of the head.
CCTV footage posted by News5 showed the lawmaker hitting the back of Gacuma’s head as the sports official walked away.
“He planted his right foot heavily on my left foot to limit my mobility. He squeezed my right thumb very hard, like he wanted to dislocate it,” Gacuma said in his report.
Gacuma further claimed that Gomez, who is also the 2nd Vice President of the Philippine Olympic Commission (POC), threatened him again while he was being treated at the medical station.
“[Gomez] literally capped my jawline forcefully with his right hand and said, ‘’Di mo alam ang ginagawa mo! HR ka lang, wala kang alam sa pagiging atleta,’” Gacuma wrote in the report.
According to PFA rankings, Larrazabal is the top-ranked women’s fencer in the country. Abella placed ninth in the women’s individual épée competition on Tuesday, Dec. 16.
Larrazabal was later cleared to compete in the women’s épée team event on Thursday, Dec. 18.
Alongside Ivy Dinoy, Abella, and Gomez’s daughter, Julianna Gomez, she helped the Philippines earn a bronze medal following a 45-40 semifinal loss to Singapore.
Although Abella was listed for the team event, she did not see action in any of the bouts.
In an interview with News5’s One Balita Pilipinas, Gomez described Larrazabal’s removal from the individual event as an act of favoritism.
“Ngayon pinalaro nila si Alexa, tapos ‘yong pinalit nila kay Alexa, hindi nila pinalaro. Anong klaseng kalokohan?” Gomez said.
“’Yan ang problema ‘pag may mga favoritism sa mga atleta. It will destroy the morale of our athlete.”
Gomez said he also planned to file a complaint over what he described as “athlete bullying.”
Gomez, a former fencer, also competed at this year’s SEA Games, winning a silver medal in the sporting clays event of the shooting competition. He now owns two gold and three silver medals in his SEA Games career.
