Herlene Budol says working with Rob Gomez anew could spell trouble

Herlene Budol admitted that she doesn’t want to work with her “Magandang Dilag” co-star Rob Gomez anytime soon. Images: Screengrab from YouTube/YoüLOL, GMA Corporate Communications

Herlene Budol reiterated that she is not keen on working again with her “Magandang Dilag” leading man Rob Gomez, saying she does not want to be embroiled in yet another controversy with him.

In a “Your Honor” podcast on Saturday, March 1, Budol was asked by host Buboy Villar if the beauty queen-turned-actress is open to the idea of reuniting with Gomez for a project.

But the texting scandal that involved Budol and Gomez is still fresh in her mind, especially the fact that the actor failed to speak up when bashers accused them of having an affair.

“Si Rob Gomez. Ayun nga, kasi nagka-issue kami tapos hindi lang ako napagtanggol. Siguro alam niya kung bakit ayaw ko na siya makatrabaho pero ‘yun. Siguro siya lang (Rob Gomez. We had an issue before and he didn’t stand up for me. I guess he knows why I do not want to work with him anymore. I guess it’s just him),” she said in response.

The actress further explained that she just wants to protect herself from another possible issue, noting that she had a hard time defending herself at the height of her text scandal with Gomez.

“Kung siya ‘yung tatanungin, feel ko rin naman ayaw [na] niya. Iwas gulo lang din para iwas issue. Pagod na pagod na talaga ako sa mga binabatong [issue sa’kin], alam mo ‘yung hirap na ipagtanggol sarili mo. T’as wala pang nagtatanggol sa’yo. Edi ilulunok ko na lang ang masasakit na salita. Alam din naman niya siguro ‘yun,” she said.

(If he would ever be asked about the same thing, I feel like he doesn’t want to work with me either. I’m just protecting myself from a possible issue. I got really tired of defending myself from the issues thrown against me. You know I had a hard time protecting myself. No one even defended me. I would rather accept these hurtful remarks. I’m sure he knows that.)

Budol’s remarks echoed those of her previous statement during the media con of “Binibining Marikit,” saying she had to seek therapy while dealing with the aftermath of her text controversy with Gomez.

“Nagpa-doktor… nagpa-psychiatrist na po ako para mas ma-process ko siya nang maayos, na bakit may mga gan’ung klaseng tao na kailangan kang hilahin pababa kapag alam nilang itinataas ka ng Panginoon (I asked the help of a doctor, a psychiatrist, to help me process this properly. I wondered why there are people who wanted to drag you down knowing that the Lord is raising you up)?” she said.

Budol and Gomez were embroiled in a controversy where screenshots of their intimate conversations were leaked on the latter’s social media accounts in December 2023, where the actor said his pages were hacked. Gomez’s texts with fellow beauty queen-turned-actress Bianca Manalo circulated as well.