A newly married Filipino congressman who lost in the May election reportedly attempted to commit suicide on Thursday by shooting himself on his chest. The incident happened at the Batasang Pambansa where the lower house of the Philippine House of Representatives is headquartered.

Outgoing Cagayan de Oro Representative Benjo Benaldo was found bloodied in the office he was about to vacate and rushed to New Era Hospital and them moved to St Luke's Hospital in Quezon City for treatment of the gunshot wound. He is now in stable condition and talking to his wife, Brazilian model Daiana Menezes.

House Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr said Mr Benaldo's staff heard a gunshot between 7 and 8 p.m while they were clearing their office. They saw the outgoing congressman bloodied and there was a 9 mm handgun on his desk.

This is the second time in recent days that Mr Benaldo was on the spotlight. In early July, Ms Menezes posted messages in Twitter that she was in physical and emotional pain, but she eventually denied she is a battered wife.

Before the apparent suicide attempt, the couple - who were married in a civil wedding in Las Vegas in December 2012 - admitted trouble in their relationship and Mr Benaldo sought forgiveness from his wife, but they insisted there was no domestic violence between them.

He served for only one term because he lost to Klarex Uy of the Liberal Party in the mid-term election in May.