Cavite Rep. Elpidio Barzaga Jr. (Photo from the Facebook page of the House of Representatives)
MANILA, Philippines — The House of Representatives has adopted a resolution expressing its condolences to the family of Cavite 4th District Rep. Elpidio Barzaga Jr., who died last Saturday.
During the resumption of the session on Monday, House Resolution (HR) No. 1691 and 1692 were consolidated to honor Barzaga, whom Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez described as a “great legal thinker.”
Romualdez presided over the session when the resolutions were adopted.
“Honorable Barzaga was one of the most loved and respected Members of the House of Representatives, actively extending a helping hand, and always well-prepared when attending plenary sessions and committee hearings,” said the resolution authored by Romualdez, Senior Deputy Speaker Aurelio Gonzales Jr., Majority Leader Manuel Jose Dalipe, Minority Leader Marcelino Libanan, Ilocos 1st District Rep. Ferdinand Alexander Marcos, and Tingog party-list Reps. Yedda Marie Romualdez and Jude Acidre.
“Honorable Barzaga’s relentless pursuit of justice and his compassion for those in need earned him the respect and admiration of both his colleagues in the House of Representatives and his constituents in Dasmariñas City, and he will always be remembered for inspiring those in the government service with his integrity, kindness, and dedication to serving the people.”
Barzaga died on Saturday at the age of 74 in California, United States. The fallen lawmaker was in the US for a medical procedure.
Last Saturday, Romualdez said that with Barzaga’s death, the House lost a smart number-cruncher, adding that House officials had turned to the Cavite lawmaker for legal advice.
“We are deeply saddened by Cong Pidi’s passing. The House of Representatives has just lost a great legal thinker and a smart number-cruncher,” Romualdez said in a statement.
“I myself consulted him on a number of legal issues. He was always lending a helping hand. We will also remember him as an indefatigable lawmaker who made it a point to attend sessions and participate actively in committee hearings with extensive preparations,” he added.
Before his death, Barzaga was one of the lawmakers in the 19th Congress who scrutinized agricultural traders after the prices of onions and sugar went up in late 2022.
Despite his medical condition, Barzaga demanded that resource persons attend House hearings if they could do videoconferencing from their offices.