Vice President Sara Duterte expressed a message of support in an open letter to Cavite Rep. Francisco Barzaga after he was expelled from the House of Representative for his behaving "disorderly".

"Being different is okay. It takes grit to be yourself in a world that rewards conformity. Not everyone will understand your choices or the path you take, and that's okay. What matters is staying true to who you are and what you believe in," said Duterte.

"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. Walking alone is okay, too. It takes courage to charge forward even if no one will follow you. ," she added.

Duterte noted that Barzaga's "resolve is a daily reminder that character matters more than conformity."

"The strength you show inspires more Filipinos than you may ever know," she added.

According to the Press and Public Affairs Bureau of the House of Representative, the Lower Chamber voted 265-14 with eight abstentions to adopt the House Committee on Ethics and Privileges recommendation to expel Barzaga for disorderly behavior and conduct unbecoming of a member of Congress.

Citing Section 141(a) of Rule XX of the House Rules, the committee noted that lawmakers must “act at all times in a manner that shall reflect creditably on the House.”

Among those who expressed support for the committee report was Antipolo City Rep. Philip Conrad Acop.

“Today with great conviction, I state to Cong Kiko Barzaga that your legacy of ineptitude, irresponsibility, and disrespect would indeed serve as a lesson to the entire Filipino people that we deserve competent leaders,” he said.

He pointed out that "the House of Representatives is not a playground where whims trump the work that we are tasked to do. The mandate of a people must never be taken for granted — much more taken less that it be sacrificed for a few seconds in the spotlight."

“This institution must never tolerate ineptitude, irresponsibility, and disrespect. In the end, we must hold ourselves to the highest of standards if we are to become true representatives of the people — a legacy we must all aspire to leave behind," he added. Robina Asido/PHS