MANILA, Philippines—The Philippine Army (PA) on Wednesday confirmed that Cavite Rep. Francisco “Kiko” Barzaga has been dropped from its Reserve Force for “actions deemed equivalent to grave offenses.”
PA spokesman Col. Louie Dema-ala said Barzaga lost his status as a member of the Reserved Force “following a thorough review of the circumstances surrounding his case and in accordance with Armed Forces of the Philippines Rules and Regulations, specifically GHQ, AFP SOP No. 7.”
Because of his removal, Barzaga is no longer authorized to wear the military uniform under any circumstance. Additionally, he is barred from being commissioned into the AFP Regular or Reserve Force in the future.
“While we regret the necessity of this action, the Philippine Army upholds its commitment to discipline, integrity, and accountability. We do not condone violations of military regulations, regardless of status or position, as part of our duty to preserve the professionalism and credibility of the organization,” Dema-ala said.
In a message to reporters, Dema-ala said Barzaga was delisted over his social media posts on Sept. 21 where “he was insinuating sedition with attached photo of him in military uniform.”
“Such statements endanger the Armed Forces’ position as a non-partisan organization,” Dema-ala said.