The House of Representatives expelled Cavite 4th District Rep. Francisco Barzaga on June 2, 2026 after a 265–14 vote, with eight abstentions, adopting a committee report that found him guilty of conduct unbecoming and disorderly behavior.
The House Committee on Ethics and Privileges said Barzaga had already been suspended twice for 60 days each, but continued behavior led lawmakers to impose the highest penalty—expulsion—saying further suspension would no longer deter his actions.
“The committee considers [that] another penalty of suspension will not likely deter the improper behavior which continuously reflects negatively on the image of the House of Representatives,” Committee chairman and 4Ps party-list Rep. Jonathan Clement Abalos said.
The case was also linked to an ethics complaint filed by the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), which accused Barzaga of posting social media content that allegedly implicated the bureau in a supposed assassination attempt related to a recent Senate shooting incident.
“We filed a complaint against Congressman Barzaga sa Ethics Committee and are requesting for an investigation and eventually disciplinary actions to be taken against him,” NBI Director Melvin Matibag said in an interview.
The NBI said it identified at least nine posts from his account and denied the accusations.
“There are nine posts that we traced from his account. It was validated as his account,” Matibag noted.
