MANILA, Philippines – Cavite 4th District Rep. Francisco Barzaga filed an ethics complaint against Antipolo 1st District Rep. Ronaldo Puno for misconduct unbecoming a member of the House of Representatives.
In his complaint filed on Tuesday, Barzaga alleges that Puno, concurrent House deputy speaker, violated Article III Section 1 of the 1987 Constitution for insinuating that the younger lawmaker had a mental illness without any evidence.
“The respondent has not successfully discharged the burden of overcoming the presumption that the Petitioner has a mental condition and constitutes a defamatory statement which is punishable under Republic Act 10175 (Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012),” Barzaga said.
He further added that the lack of substantial evidence to support the allegations not only deprived the individual of due process but also undermined the fundamental principle of fairness in adjudicating issues.
Barzaga also alleges that Puno employed the House Committee on Ethics and Privileges as a tool to silence political dissent.
“Instead of preserving the integrity of the House, he weaponized the Committee's processes to intimidate critics (complainant), thereby any action by a legislative body, including the Ethics Committee, that suppresses political dissent or punishes members for their speech would be subject to challenge for violating the constitutional guarantee of free speech and expression under Article III, Section 4 of the 1987 Constitution,” Barzaga said.
The use by Puno of the House Ethics Committee as a means to silence a critic violates the constitutional right of a person to express his opinions on public issues, Barzaga said.
Barzaga also said that his private life was “unnecessarily dragged” in his accusations, citing cosplay photographs and social media posts made prior to July 2025, which violated his right to privacy.
Responding to Barzaga's complaint, Puno, in a message to The Manila Times, said that he would only reply to any complaint “when and if it is submitted to the Ethics Committee and according to the procedure they will prescribe.”
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