The most spirited defense of Cavite 4th district Rep. Francisco "Kiko" Barzaga during the vote on his suspension Monday, Dec. 1 didn't come from another solon within his province.

Instead, it came from a neighbor in Batangas 1st district Rep. Leandro Legarda Leviste, who like the eccentric lawmaker from Dasmariñas have grabbed headlines for his stern stance against corruption.

Leviste was one of only five House of Representatives members who openly rejected the Committee on Ethics and Privileges' recommendation to suspend the 27-year-old solon for 60 days with pay.

While the five were ultimately defeated by their 249 House colleagues who voted to affirm the recommendation, Leviste was able to express his utter displeasure over what the legislative chamber did to "congressmeow".

Leviste, 32, took issue with the apparent haste in sanctioning Barzaga for his incendiary--and at times inordinate--comments on social media, while another colleague of theirs whom he did not name was being accused of something that he claimed was "more serious".

"Ang boto ko ay 'no' hindi dahil perpekto si Cong. Barzaga, pero dahil kuwestyunable para sa akin na minadali natin itong desisyon. Dahil ngayong hapon lang natin nakuha ang committee report na ito at si Cong. Barzaga lang ang sinampahan ng kaso ng komite on Ethics," a visibly fuming Leviste said.

(My vote is 'no,' not because Cong. Barzaga is perfect, but because for me it is questionable that we rushed this decision. Since we only received this committee report this afternoon, and only Cong. Barzaga was charged by the Committee on Ethics.)

"Ang boto ko ay 'no' lalo na dahil inuuna natin ang kaso niya kaysa sa mga mas seryosong isyung kinakaharap ng isa sa mga kasamahan natin. Isang kapwa ko Batangueño na nandito ngayon na bumoto sa kaso ni Cong. Barzaga," he noted.

(My vote is 'no,' especially because we are prioritizing his case over the more serious issues being faced by one of our colleagues. A fellow Batangueño who is here now and voted on the case of Cong. Barzaga.)

"Hindi ba nakakahiya maging miyembro ng Kongreso dahil parang naging normal na meron tayong isang kasamahan na inakusahan na nagbayad para sa mahigit ₱100 billion ng mga kontrata sa DPWH (Department of Public Works and Highways)?," he said, referring to the issue of infrastructure-related corruption.

(Isn’t it shameful to be a member of Congress when it has almost become normal that we have a colleague accused of paying for more than ₱100 billion worth of contracts in the DPWH?)

"Para bang tinatanggap natin na normal lang na magkaroon ng kasamahan na iniugnay sa pagnanakaw ng bilyun-bilyong piso na hindi iniimbestigahan na ng Komite on Ethics, Public Works o Infra Comm samantalang inuuna natin ang kaso ni Cong. Barzaga," Leviste further said.

(It is as if we are accepting that it is normal to have a colleague linked to the theft of billions of pesos, who is not being investigated by the Committee on Ethics, Public Works, or Infrastructure Committee, while we prioritize the case of Cong. Barzaga.)

"Nakatala na sa kasaysayan na sa gitna ng matinding kontrobersiya sa korapsyon, ito ang inuna ng Kongreso. At parang lang walang mali sa ginagawa ng isa sa ating kasamahan at tayo mismo ngayon ay sumisira sa imahe ng Kongreso. Mahiya naman tayo," added the Batangueño.

(It is now recorded in history that amid the intense controversy over corruption, this is what Congress chose to prioritize. And it seems as though there is nothing wrong with what one of our colleagues is doing, while we ourselves are destroying the image of Congress. Let us have shame.)

The ethics panel chaired by 4Ps Party-list Rep. JC Abalos said in plenary Monday that Barzaga was found guilty of disorderly conduct and behavior unbecoming of a House member.

Asked last October about what he thought of the controversial Barzaga, Leviste answered: "Hanga ako sa kanya (Barzaga). And I think na kailangan ng mas maraming mga independent voices sa Kongreso (I admire him. And I think more independent voices are needed in Congress)."