Deja vu? Kiko Barzaga facing another 60-day suspension, says Valeriano
At A Glance
- "Congressmeow" Cavite 4th district Rep. Francisco "Kiko" Barzaga could get slapped with another two-month suspension by his House colleagues a mere three days after reporting back to work from his previous suspension.
Cavite 4th district Rep. Francisco "Kiko" Barzaga (left), Manila 2nd district Rep. Rolando Valeriano (Ellson Quismorio/ MANILA BULLETIN)
"Congressmeow" Cavite 4th district Rep. Francisco "Kiko" Barzaga could get slapped with another two-month suspension by his House colleagues a mere three days after reporting back to work from his previous suspension.
This, after National Unity Party (NUP) stalwart, Manila 2nd district Rep. Rolando Valeriano told reporters that a new penalty recommendation would be brought to plenary during the scheduled session Wednesday, Feb. 4.
On Tuesday, Valeriano attended a closed-door hearing of the House Committee on Ethics and Privileges, which tackled a total of four ethics complaints-slash-referrals against the Gen Z solon.
"By tomorrow, 3 o' clock, nasa plenary yun [recommendation]. Kasi ang nakalagay naman doon is to report immediately the result of that committee hearing (By tomorrow at 3 o’clock, that recommendation will be in the plenary, because what is stated there is to immediately report the result of that committee hearing)," the Manila lawmaker said in an interview Tuesday.
"The plenary will decide by tomorrow kung maga-grant yung 60-day suspension (if it will grant the 60-day suspension). I don't know what will happen," Valeriano added.
It was only last Monday, Feb. 2 when the eccentric Barzaga celebrated via Facebook video upload his return to the House of Representatives.
Last Dec. 1, the plenary adopted a recommendation from the ethics committee to suspend Barzaga for 60 days without pay after he was found guilty of disorderly behavior. This penalty stemmed from the Dasmariñas congressman's posting of inflammatory and lewd content on his social media.
It could be deja vu for Barzaga on Wednesday if the new recommendation prospers in plenary.
Valeriano said that the four complaints / referrals against Barzaga during the hearing came from Deputy Speaker Iloilo Iloilo 1st district Rep. Janette Garin (two complaints), a joint complaint from. 29 NUP members in the House, and Valeriano's privilege speech last week wherein he assailed the respondent for his alleged continued disorderly conduct.
Valeriano said that true to what Barzaga had announced previously, the latter didn't attend the proceedings. He said the latter was invited 'two or three times".
Expulsion?
Meanwhile, an NUP stalwart who declined to be named said it's possible that the proposed fresh 60-day suspension against Barzaga could get turned into expulsion--the hardest penalty that a House member could get.
According to this stalwart, at least one attendee in the ethics panel hearing sought hasher punishment against congressmeow following the first 60-day suspension.
"Titignan pa rin sa plenary kung anong mangyayari sa kanya (We'll see in plenary what will happen to him). The final decision is with plenary," said the stalwart.
Asked if he preferred the expulsion for the 27-year-old Barzaga, Valeriano answered in the affirmative.
"Expulsion na sana kasi paulit ulit eh. Tsaka alam mo ang hindi katanggap-tanggap dyan, siguro naman lahat tayo will agree, yung mina-malign mo yung patay pa, si Congressman Acop, si di ba?" he said.
(I want expulsion because he keeps repeating his actions. And you know what is truly unacceptable, and perhaps all of us will agree, is maligning someone who has already passed away, Congressman Acop, right?)
"Unchristian, very unchristian yung ginawa niya na yun. Siguro natutuwa siya kasi marami siyang viewers...pero hindi dapat nilalaro ang kamatayan, lalo yung isang colleague natin (It was unchristian, very unchristian, what he did. Perhaps he is pleased because he has many viewers…but death should never be made a plaything, especially when it involves one of our colleagues)," he added.