In Cebu province, during a press conference hosted by Sugbo News via Facebook September 20, 2024, Governor Gwendolyn Garcia verbally attacked SunStar Cebu journalist Claudine Flores over her coverage of the Supreme Court's order requiring Garcia to pay $700,000 in damages, plus interest and legal costs, to Hongkong Shanghai Banking Corp. (HSBC). The case involves Garcia's business dealings before her time in office.
On that Facebook live, the governor publicly berated Flores, accusing her of exaggerating the facts for attention and calling her a "lazy” journalist. Garcia's outburst included cursing and personal insults.
This was not the first time the governor humiliated journalists and even private citizens through the Facebook live medium. At present, Flores is not ready to give any statement regarding the incident.