Barzaga late to own ethics hearing, says he’s ‘very busy’ playing computer games
Cavite Rep. Francisco “Kiko” Barzaga arrived late and missed his own ethics hearing in the House of Representatives on Monday.
The reason? The 27-year-old lawmaker admitted he stayed up late “playing games” in his computer.
“My hearing was already over when I arrived. I was very busy last night. I was just playing games with my computer,” he said in an ambush interview at the House.
The lawmaker briefly joined a protest outside Forbes Park Village in Makati City late Sunday night, where demonstrators called for the resignation of President Marcos amid allegations of corruption in his administration.
Last month, members of the National Unity Party (NUP) led by Deputy Speaker Ronaldo Puno filed an ethics complaint against Barzaga, citing his “unusual behavior”—including his sudden declaration of a speakership bid and alleged “lewd” photos posted on social media.
Puno said the party believed Barzaga might have committed four violations: not acting in a manner that reflects creditably on the House; engaging in acts contrary to law, good morals, customs, and public policy; conduct that incites seditious activity; and conduct prejudicial to the best interest of the service and unbecoming of a member of Congress.
2,000 cops deployed
Barzaga, a former NUP member, left the party after Puno reportedly accused him of plotting to oust then Speaker Martin Romualdez.
Meanwhile, no untoward incidents were reported at the rally that Barzaga led outside Forbes Park Village, according to the Philippine National Police.
The rally “finished around 4:20 in the morning and they dispersed,” said PNP public information chief Brig. Gen. Randulf Tuaño.
In a Facebook post on Sunday afternoon, Barzaga urged people to join the rally, saying they would “enter the homes of (former Ako Bicol Rep.) Zaldy Co and (former Speaker and Leyte Rep.) Martin Romualdez” as part of the protest.
Co and Romualdez had been linked to anomalies flagged in government flood control projects. They earlier denied the allegations.
At the Camp Crame flag-raising ceremony on Monday, acting PNP chief Lt. Gen. Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr. said the PNP deployed about 2,000 police officers to secure rally sites across five areas in Metro Manila over the weekend.
Nartatez did not specify these areas where the protest actions took place.
The PNP had previously said it was on alert for anticorruption rallies by civic groups set every Friday starting Oct. 10.
The Trillion Peso March movement announced the weekly protests on Oct. 7, aiming to sustain its campaign against government corruption after its Sept. 21 rally.
The protests were triggered by alleged kickbacks and other acts of corruption by government officials in collusion with private contractors in public infrastructure projects.
