MANILA, Philippines — Cavite 4th District Rep. Francisco Barzaga should be expelled from the House of Representatives, a lawmaker said on Tuesday.
"With the numerous complaints already pending, yes, because nothing is changing," said Deputy Speaker and Iloilo 1st District Rep. Janette Garin in an interview with reporters when asked wheter Barzaga should be expelled. She said she was leaving the decision to the House Committee on Ethics and Privileges. She said she could not vote in the proceedings because shefiled two complaints against him.
Barzaga has been suspended pending an ongoing investigation.
She said that "historically, in Congress, if you were already suspended and then you have another suspension, and in his case the second suspension had a very strong warning that if he repeats it..., it will proceed to a higher penalty."
In the same interview, Garin said Barzaga he told her, "'Mommy, kasi'--because many of the congs call me that--'Mommy, kasi ang pusa palaaway so kung hindi ako mang-aaway ng mang-aaway, hindi ako posa...' (Mommy, because cats are quarrelsome so if I don't fight and fight, I am not a cat...)", she said.
"You know, sometimes, people, we look at it as funny. But you are representing... constituents who are being deprived of their representation simply because you are looking at your position as a game. So this cannot be", she said.
Garin said further on in the interview that "even under suspension, wala (nothing), parang (it's like), his point is, that's his nature as a cat. But he's not a cat. He's a member of Congress, duly elected, who should demonstrate what is expected commensurate to his position."
