Cavite 4th District Representative Francisco “Kiko” Barzaga has been handed a 60-day suspension without pay by the House of Representatives, which overwhelmingly adopted a report from the Committee on Ethics and Privileges finding him guilty of “disorderly behavior.”
The decision came after the ethics panel concluded that the lawmaker’s conduct, primarily through his social media use, was “unbecoming of a House member” and brought “contempt, discredit, and disrepute” to the institution. During the plenary session, 249 lawmakers voted in favor of the committee’s recommendation, cementing the two-month penalty.
The ethics complaint was originally filed by members of the National Unity Party (NUP), a group Barzaga had recently left.
The core of the complaint focused on Barzaga’s “reckless, offensive, and irresponsible” use of his Facebook account, citing both politically “incendiary” posts and the retention of publicly-viewable “inappropriate and indecent photos.”
One piece of evidence presented included a photo showing a scantily-clad woman wrapped around the representative’s neck.
The committee ruled that these actions constituted a violation of the conduct expected of public officials and the rules of the House.
House Ethics Committee chair Rep. JC Abalos, who read the committee’s findings, stated that Barzaga’s posts violated the Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials, specifically regarding behavior that fails to reflect creditably on the House.
The suspension takes immediate effect, during which time Barzaga will not receive his salaries or allowances.
The disciplinary action follows a period of public and social media criticism by Barzaga against various high-ranking officials after his departure from the NUP.