PCW Statement on House of Representatives Ethics Committee Complaint Involving Lewd Photos and Remarks Against Women2025 18-day Campaign to End Violence Against Women

PCW Statement on House of Representatives Ethics Committee Complaint Involving Lewd Photos and Remarks Against Women

Recent news reports, including coverage of the House Ethics Committee Press Conference by media outlets, have brought to light a formal complaint against Representative Francisco "Kiko" Barzaga, which among others, include lewd and inappropriate photos and statements that degrade women.

The Philippine Commission on Women (PCW) reminds the Honorable Representative that such actions, especially when committed by a public official, constitute direct affront to the honor and dignity of women and a gross violation of the trust placed upon them by the Filipino people.

The conduct of Representative Barzaga, as reported, is not merely a personal misstep; it runs contrary to the very ethics and morals that should guide a public official. Public service is a sacred responsibility, and those who hold office are expected to be role models, champions of the people's rights, and protectors of the most vulnerable. To engage in the objectification and denigration of women is to betray this sacred trust. It is an act of insensitivity and callousness, particularly in a society where women and girls navigate multiple layers of abuse, discrimination, and violence on a daily basis.

This scandalous behavior is a disturbing backlash against the progress the Philippines has made in women's empowerment and the fight to address and prevent violence against women (VAW). Our nation has enacted landmark legislation like the Magna Carta of Women, the Anti-Violence against Women and their Children Act, and the Safe Spaces Act, and has seen a growing movement of champions of women's empowerment and gender equality. Actions that demean women's dignity undermine these hard-won gains and threaten to normalize a culture of misogyny that we have been working so hard to dismantle.

It is imperative that such acts, regardless of the person involved or their political affiliation, be subjected to the same ethics complaint in Congress and similar mechanisms across all branches of the Philippine government. Accountability must be a non-negotiable principle.

In this context, the Filipino people, as a sovereign electorate, must learn from these lessons. In the recent elections, the PCW issued strong statements against the sexism and misogyny of candidates, urging the public to be discerning and to scrutinize how aspirants treat women. PCW highlighted that candidates who resort to sexist strategies and the commodification of women's bodies do not deserve a place in a decent election process. The PCW's message was clear: voters should elect candidates who genuinely respect and uphold the rights and dignity of all Filipinos, especially women and girls. True leadership is reflected not only in a candidate's promises but in their actions and how they treat others.

Beyond the corruption of public funds, we must also fight the corruption of women's rights, empowerment, and human dignity that has spread like a cancer in our society. This moral decay must be addressed with the same scrutiny as financial corruption.