Barzaga misses House ethics hearing after 'busy' night playing computer games
Cavite 4th District Rep. Francisco "Kiko" Barzaga Jr. was unable to attend his ethics hearing at the House of Representatives after arriving late as he was "busy" playing video games on his computer the night before.
Barzaga was called to appear before the House Committee on Ethics and Privileges on Oct. 13 after 29 complaints were filed against him due to inappropriate conduct for a member of the HOR, as well as for violating the 1987 Constitution and House rules.
However, by the time the Cavite Representative showed up, the hearing had already been adjourned.
"My hearing was already over by the time I arrived. I was very busy last night. I was just playing games on my computer," he said in an interview with the media.
He insisted that he has not done anything wrong for him to defend himself before the committee.
House Deputy Speaker Ronaldo Puno, who is among the complainants, criticized Barzaga's actions.
"We filed this complaint because we want standards of behavior to be established in Congress," he told reporters. "We should remind him of the standards of human behavior. He does not believe he did anything wrong because obviously his standards are much lower than the average person."
"So I think he should be given a lesson by the ethics committee that that kind of behavior is not desirable, it is not acceptable, especially if you're a member of the House of Representatives," he added.
According to Puno, the ethics committee created a subpanel for reconciliation to settle all cases filed before it. However, both Puno and Barzaga have shot down any chances of reconciliation.
"Pinangunahan ko na sila. Sinabi ko, there is no reconciliation because this is not a personal grievance. Hindi naman sa akin ang insulto. Ang insulto is to the institution," he said in an interview.
The 29 complaints against Barzaga come after the lawmaker made posts on his social media accounts criticizing ex-House Speaker Martin Romualdez and the alleged corruption involving the government's flood-control projects.
Among his posts that gained the most attention was of him singing a few lines from Upuan by Gloc-9 in Congress before saying, "Magbabago na ang House of Representatives. We will bring justice into this corrupt system."
Barzaga also joined an anti-Marcos protest at Forbes Park in Makati the night before the House ethics hearing.
