Cavite 4th District Representative Francisco “Kiko” Barzaga admitted he was late at the first House ethics hearing because he was busy playing computer games the night before.
“I wasn’t there, I could not have spoken. We were very busy last night. I was just playing games on my computer,” Barzaga told reporters when asked about his absence.
The House Committee on Ethics, chaired by 4Ps Party-list Representative JC Abalos, held its initial meeting on the ethics complaint filed against Barzaga by his former party-mates from the National Unity Party (NUP).
Despite Barzaga’s absence, the committee merely agreed to form a subcommittee to handle the case.
House Deputy Speaker and Antipolo Representative Ronaldo Puno said the new subpanel will handle ethics complaints between House members. “This is a new subcommittee. It applies to all cases where the complainant and respondent are both members of the House,” Puno said in a message to a local media.
Barzaga is accused of violating the Code of Conduct for Public Officials and Employees through Facebook posts that were allegedly disrespectful to some officials and hinted at burning down the Batasang Pambansa after ensuring all employees and documents were evacuated.
Puno clarified that Barzaga’s nonattendance does not yet warrant any disciplinary action.
“Hindi naman siguro gano’n na dapat ang parusa sa ngayon. At least, sumipot,” he said.
A day before the hearing, Barzaga joined a protest in Makati City urging the public to call for the resignation of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. over alleged corruption in government.
