NBI files ethics complaint vs Barzaga over social media posts

The National Bureau of Investigation has filed an ethics complaint against Francisco Barzaga over social media posts that the agency said contained false and misleading claims related to recent developments in the Senate.

NBI Director Melvin Matibag said Barzaga published a series of online posts alleging that the bureau was attempting to assassinate "some senators" amid ongoing tensions surrounding recent events in the upper chamber.

Matibag said the lawmaker had previously been warned and suspended by the House of Representatives over separate matters, adding that the NBI would continue pursuing his expulsion from Congress over what it described as irresponsible statements.

"There’s a warning already sa kanya, baka dapat 'to removal sa public office already," Matibag said, rejecting suggestions that the bureau's actions were merely a response to criticism.

The NBI chief stressed that while freedom of expression is protected by the Constitution, it is not without limits, particularly when statements allegedly spread false information and undermine public institutions.

Barzaga, however, pushed back against the complaint, claiming the case was politically motivated. The Cavite lawmaker alleged that the filing was ordered by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. in response to what he described as the administration's declining trust ratings.

The NBI has yet to disclose further details on the specific ethics violations cited in its complaint, while Barzaga has maintained that his statements were part of his exercise of free speech.

The dispute comes amid heightened political tensions following recent developments involving members of the Senate and ongoing investigations by government agencies.