House extends Barzaga suspension

THE House of Representatives on Wednesday suspended Cavite Rep. Francisco “Kiko” A. Barzaga for another 60 days for “utter contempt” over acts that may have tarnished the chamber’s image.

With 238 members affirmative votes, 10 negative, and nine abstentions, the chamber adopted the House Ethics Committee’s recommendation to suspend Mr. Barzaga under Committee Report No. 28, which bars him from receiving his salary during the suspension.

“The imposition of the penalty carries with it a stern warning that a repetition of another misconduct would warrant a more severe disciplinary action, including expulsion from office,” Party-list Rep. Jonathan Clement M. Abalos II, who heads the Ethics committee, told the floor.

Mr. Barzaga gained notoriety as an outspoken lawmaker, frequently posting criticisms of the Marcos administration on his social media pages. Critics have argued that his posts were unbecoming of a legislator. He was suspended for 60 days in December.

“With the defiant acts of Rep. Barzaga while suspended from office clearly demonstrated that suspension from office as a disciplinary measure has failed and that Rep. Barzaga’s post-suspension conduct reflects his unfitness for legislative duties,” said Mr. Abalos.

“At the very least, the committee expects Rep. Barzaga to have exercised restraints and prudence while suspended from office,” he added. “Instead, the contrary happened.”

Also on Wednesday, the chamber removed a lawmaker implicated in a multibillion-peso graft scandal from its roster after receiving his resignation letter.

Leyte Rep. Anna Victoria Veloso-Tuazon moved for the House floor to recognize Edvic G. Yap’s resignation as a party-list representative. A copy of his resignation letter was not immediately made available. — Kenneth Christiane L. Basilio