A day after the House of Representatives expelled one of her staunchest allies, Vice President Sara Duterte came to his defense with a pointed open letter that praised former Cavite lawmaker Francisco “Kiko” Barzaga for refusing to conform and taking a swipe at what appeared to be his political adversaries.

In a Facebook post on Wednesday, Duterte described Barzaga as a public official who chose principle over popularity, saying that “walking alone” was sometimes the price of standing by one's convictions.

“Being different is okay,” Duterte wrote. “It takes grit to be yourself in a world that rewards conformity.”

The message came less than 24 hours after the House voted to expel Barzaga, one of Duterte's most vocal defenders in Congress, following findings by the House Committee on Ethics that he committed disorderly behavior and conduct unbecoming of a member.

The House ethics panel had previously sanctioned Barzaga over a series of social media posts and statements that fellow lawmakers said violated standards of parliamentary conduct. 

Without identifying anyone, the Vice President contrasted Barzaga with individuals she suggested had been linked to wrongdoing.

“You are different because you have never been convicted of child abuse, never brought home ‘maletas’ of public funds, never allowed cocaine and alcohol to flow from your office, and never said yes to corruption and oppression,” she wrote.

The letter also drew parallels between Barzaga's situation and her own political battles.

“Ako man ay itinuturing na kakaiba,” Duterte wrote, saying she had repeatedly been called “crazy,” “stupid,” and other names for refusing to follow what she described as the norm.

Duterte, however, portrayed the young lawmaker not as a disgraced politician but as someone being punished for refusing to fall in line.

“It takes courage to charge forward even if no one will follow you. Your resolve is a daily reminder that character matters more than conformity,” said Duterte. 

Barzaga joined PDP-Laban earlier this year and has consistently sided with Duterte on key political issues, including criticism of congressional investigations involving the Vice President and opposition to moves by her critics in government.