Rep. Alfredo Garbin apologizes for cursing during live interview: 'Tao lang po'
Ako Bicol Party-list Rep. Alfredo “Pido” Garbin issued an apology after he was caught cursing during a live interview on One Balita.
In the program's Sept. 8 episode, Garbin could be heard saying "Ay p*******a" just as anchor Cheryl Cosim introduced him to viewers. The little slip was quickly forgotten as Cosim moved on to the main topic of the interview, which was the alleged corruption involving the country's flood control projects.
While the moment passed on air without much fuss, social media users didn't get over it so easily, as they made memes of the interaction online.
Following the viral moment, Garbin posted a statement on his Facebook account to explain what led him to curse during the livestream.
"Pasensya na, tao lang po! I sincerely apologize for the curse word that was caught right after my live interview on One Balita. At that time, I was walking while doing the interview. As I hung up, I tripped and almost dropped my phone," he said.
"The stumble startled me, and in that unguarded moment, I blurted out a curse word—something I usually say in private and never intended for the public to hear," he added.
Garbin acknowledged that as a public servant, he must "always be mindful" of his words even in unexpected situations.
"Moving forward, I will take greater care to avoid similar incidents. Once again, I apologize to the viewers and to anyone who may have been offended," he highlighted.
In the comments section, many users were quick to accept Garbin's apology and offered some supportive messages.
"Okay lang po yan Cong. Tao lang po tayo na nagkakamali," one user said.
Another commented, "It might be unpleasant to the ear to some but generally it is only a word of displeasure. Nothing immoral or illegal about the phrase if not intended for someone. At least you show your human side."
During the interview, Garbin was asked about the whereabouts of his fellow Ako Bicol Partylist member Rep. Zaldy Co, who also serves as the CEO of Sunwest Group of Companies, which is among the top 15 construction firms that secured contracts with the Department of Public Works and Highways' flood control projects.
Garbin said that Co was still in the United States for a "medical checkup" regarding a heart ailment.
During the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee hearing on Sept. 8, top government contractors Sarah and Curlee Discaya accused several congressmen and DPWH officials of being involved in corruption in flood control projects.
In his sworn statement, Curlee mentioned officials who allegedly get a kickback ranging from 10% to 25% in projects, including Rep. Arjo Atayde, Rep. Marcy Teodoro, among others.
Curlee also claimed that DPWH officials who imposed a 25% kickback on him and his wife said that the money is meant for Co. Additionally, he said that Rep. Marvin Rillo mentioned that the latter's request for funds comes from unprogrammed funds and insertions that were approved by House Speaker Martin Romualdez.
Romualdez denied this claim, calling it "false, malicious, and nothing more than name-dropping."
The issue in the government's flood control projects began in July as the rains triggered massive flooding in the metro.
