The fragile peace in Leyte’s Fourth District has shattered yet again.
What was supposed to be a routine government aid distribution to struggling local farmers turned into a bitter political arena, reigniting a fierce, long-standing feud between two of the region's heaviest political hitters: Matag-ob Mayor Bernie Tacoy and Representative Richard Gomez.
In a scathing, highly public open letter addressed directly to Gomez, Mayor Tacoy lambasted the celebrity-turned-lawmaker for turning a state-funded welfare payout into a partisan platform and leveling unverified, "deeply troubling" accusations of illegal gambling against the local government unit (LGU).
Financial Aid to Political Warfare
The flashpoint occurred during the Presidential Assistance for Farmers and Fisherfolk (PAFF) payout in Barangay Mansalip.
The event was designed to bring relief to agricultural workers buckling under economic crises.
However, according to local officials and attendees, the atmosphere quickly shifted from hope to hostility when Congressman Gomez took the microphone.
Instead of sticking to messages of unity and recovery, Gomez allegedly used the platform to claim that the Matag-ob LGU actively tolerates or promotes illegal gambling and other unlawful activities within its borders.
The backlash from the local chief executive was instantaneous.
"Such serious accusations risk harming the reputation of our municipality, its officials, and the many public servants who serve our people diligently and in good faith," Tacoy fired back in his open letter.
"Claims of this magnitude must be supported by clear, verifiable evidence; without it, they only serve to undermine legitimate work and silence constructive criticism."
Tacoy did not hold back, questioning whether the congressman had conducted any fair or objective inquiry before tarnishing the town's name during an event where local farmers had welcomed him in good faith.
A History of Bad Blood
To locals in the Fourth District, this latest explosive encounter is simply the newest chapter in a seemingly deeply rooted political rivalry.
The bad blood between Tacoy and Gomez is far from fresh; the two leaders have been locked in a high-stakes turf war for dominance in local governance.
The tension reached a fever pitch previously when a 96-million-peso flood control project in Barangay Riverside caved in after heavy rains.
At the time, Tacoy publicly called out the structural integrity of the project, which was linked to Gomez’s congressional office, and slammed the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) for bypassing the local government.
Gomez famously retaliated in a privilege speech at the House of Representatives, accusing Tacoy of sensationalizing false information and exploiting viral topics for political clout.
This latest clash over illegal gambling represents a massive escalation.
By bringing the fight to a presidential aid event, observers say both leaders are drawing clear battle lines for the future of Leyte politics.
The Cost of Division
For the ordinary citizens of Matag-ob, the relentless political crossfire is becoming exhausting.
Tacoy’s letter heavily leaned on this sentiment, appealing to the broader public’s weariness of partisan bickering.
"History remembers leaders not for how well they divided people for political gain, but for how successfully they brought them together in pursuit of the common good," Tacoy wrote, urging Gomez to utilize proper legal and administrative channels for investigations rather than staging public ambushes.
As the accusations hang in the air without official legal filings yet made by the congressional office, the people of the Fourth District are left wondering whether their leaders can ever put aside personal animosities or if the bitter feud will continue to overshadow the very public service they swore to deliver.
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