The House of Representatives implemented the recommendation by the House Ethics Committee to suspend Cavite 4th district Rep. Kiko Barzaga after he was found guilty of disorderly behavior in relation to his allegedly inappropriate social media posts that were the subject of the complaint against him. 

Two hundred forty-nine members voted in the affirmative, five in the negative, and 11 abstained.

House Ethics Committee chairperson 4Ps party-list Rep. JC Abalos said the 60-day suspension also comes without salaries and allowances throughout the period. 

“His actions reflected negatively upon the dignity, integrity, and reputation of the House of Representatives as an institution of the members of the House individually and collectively. Consequently, the committee finds respondent, Rep. Kiko Barzaga of the 4th district of Cavite guilty of disorderly behavior by violating Sec. 141 (a) Rule 20 of the Rules of House of Representatives, 4(c) of RA 6713 or the Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employees,” said panel chairperson Rep. JC Abalos during the plenary session on Monday. 

The committee recommended “the imposition of the penalty of 60-day suspension from office without the benefit of salaries and allowances during the period of suspension, with a stern warning that repetition of similar misconduct will result to a more severe disciplinary action.”

The House ethics panel chairperson also recommended that Barzaga must “be directed to remove all 24 social media posts subject to this case within 24 hours from adoption of this report in the plenary.” 

Barzaga, who was also present in the plenary, said that he accepts any penalty that must be imposed on him.

“I wholeheartedly accept the decision of the committee, but I maintain my stance that President Marcos must be held accountable for his crimes. Too many people have died, and too much money was plundered from the Filipino people for us to stand down now,” the Cavite lawmaker said. 

“Whatever punishment may fall upon me and others who stand against this president, who has lost his constitutional mandate of serving the people is inconsequential in relation to the number of lives and futures that will be saved once President Marcos leaves the Malacañang.” 

Barzaga is being accused of violating the Code of Conduct for public officials and employees over posts on his Facebook page that were allegedly inappropriate, showed disrespect to some government officials, and seemingly prompted setting the House of Representatives on fire by cautioning the public against burning down Batasang Pambansa until employees and documents have been evacuated.

During the first hearing on the ethics complaint filed against him, Barzaga failed to attend, citing that he was engrossed in playing video games the night before.