House Assistant Majority Leader Zia Alonto Adiong of Lanao del Sur on Wednesday said the House of Representatives’ decision to expel Cavite 4th District Rep. Francisco “Kiko” Barzaga was rooted in accountability and decorum rather than politics.
The House voted on Tuesday to adopt Committee Report No. 298 of the Committee on Ethics and Privileges, which recommended Barzaga’s expulsion for disorderly behavior, conduct unbecoming of a member of Congress and violations of House rules and ethical standards.
Speaking before the Kapihan sa Manila Bay media forum, Adiong rejected suggestions that the House action was directed at Barzaga because of his perceived support for Vice President Sara Z. Duterte, whose impeachment trial is set to proceed before the Senate.
Adiong, the designated House spokesperson in Duterte’s impeachment trial, said lawmakers are expected to uphold the dignity of the institution and the public trust bestowed upon them by voters.
“Kung ako pong tatanungin niyo (If you ask me), personally, because as a colleague, I would expect my colleague to also set a standard wherein his behavior and the way he performs his job is commensurate to the public office that he was elected to,” said Adiong, chairman of the House Committee on Suffrage and Electoral Reforms.
“Ibig sabihin po, ‘pag ikaw ay pinagkatiwalaan ng iyong taong bayan, parte po sa pagtitiwala ay expectation nila na ikaw ay mag-aasta ka na respetuhin mo ‘yung opisina (It means that if you have been entrusted by your constituents, part of the trust is the expectation that you will act to give respect to the office), because you cannot personalize the office,” he said.
He stressed that elected officials do not own the positions they occupy.
“Hindi mo pag-aari ang opisina na ‘yan. Pag-aari ng taong bayan ‘yan. So rerespetuhin mo talaga yung nag-elect sa’yo (You do not own that office. The people owns it. So, you must really respect those who elected you),” he said.
Barzaga has been among the most outspoken critics of House leaders and the impeachment proceedings against Duterte, often using social media and public statements to attack fellow lawmakers and question actions taken by the chamber.
Adiong said lawmakers who accuse fellow lawmakers or public officials of wrongdoing should pursue proper legal channels instead of making sweeping allegations without evidence.
“If you have evidence, if you’re really anti-corrupt crusader, there are venues and democratically legitimate avenues for you to express and to complain, air your complaint on a specific and particular public official,” he said.
“You can go to the Ethics [Committee], you can file an ethics [case]. You can go to the Ombudsman, you can ask them to investigate this, you can go to many other avenues,” he said.
Adiong added that the House has a responsibility to enforce standards of conduct among its members, criticizing what he described as Barzaga’s repeated spread of unsubstantiated allegations against fellow lawmakers and the institution.
“But what we have seen so far, all through his stay in the House of Representatives, is to besmirch the reputation of individual members of the House simply because he finds joy and happiness by doing that, to belittle the integrity of the House as an institution in coming up with fake and unproven accusations,” he said.
He likewise pushed back against claims that disciplinary action violated freedom of expression.
“There’s a big difference between freedom of expression with that of calling for an accountability against a single individual without providing any inch of evidence. There is a big difference between rumor mongering and free speech,” he said.
He also emphasized that freedom of expression carries corresponding responsibilities, particularly for public officials.
“Even free speech is not absolute. Sa lahat po ng action ninyo, meron pong accountability. Sa lahat ng action nyo, meron pong kaukulang responsibilidad ‘yan (all your actions have corresponding accountability and responsibility). Every action, there’s a consequence,” Adiong said. (PNA)