Dennis Gasgonia

Article (news)

Darylle Sarmiento

ABS-CBN News

<div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px;display:block" width="960"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/177020555710620250917-house-of-representatives-kiko-barzaga-MT3.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" alt="Cavite 4th District Rep. Kiko Barzaga is seen at the House of Representatives plenary hall as Speaker Martin Romualdez is set to issue a statement regarding his resignation on September 17, 2025. Maria Tan, ABS-CBN News/File" width="960"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">Cavite 4th District Rep. Kiko Barzaga is seen at the House of Representatives plenary hall as Speaker Martin Romualdez is set to issue a statement regarding his resignation on September 17, 2025. <em>Maria Tan, ABS-CBN News/File</em></span></span></span></div><p>MANILA (<strong>3rd UPDATE</strong>) — The House voted Wednesday to suspend Cavite 4th District Rep. Kiko Barzaga another 60 days — without pay and allowances — as recommended by its ethics panel.</p><p>With 238 affirmative votes and 10 against, the House in plenary voted to adopt the findings and recommendations of its Committee on Ethics and Privileges.</p><p>Among those who voted no were representatives of Bagong Henerasyon and Kamanggagawa party-lists.</p><p>There were nine abstentions.</p><p>The Committee on Ethics and Privileges had, minutes before, submitted its recommendation to suspend Barzaga a second time after he failed to attend committee meetings convened to address new accusations against him.  </p><p>Reacting to his extended suspension, Barzaga said: &quot;Sanay na tayo diyan.&quot;</p><p>&quot;We’ll just keep doing what’s best for the people and usually yung mga ganitong klaseng… Congress should be focusing on different things rather than this,&quot; he added.</p><p>Barzaga told reporters that he felt no remorse over the social media posts that led to his suspension.</p><p>&quot;I wouldn&#x27;t have done it, if I would have regretted it either way,&quot; he said. </p><p>Barzaga&#x27;s recommended sanction stemmed from his allegations that his former National Unity Party colleagues accepted bribes from shipping magnate Enrique Razon during the July 2025 speakership race that was won by Leyte Rep. Martin Romualdez.</p><p>Earlier this week, Manila 2nd District Rep. Rolando Valeriano of the NUP cited Barzaga&#x27;s inappropriate behavior, which has also become the subject of cyberlibel complaints filed separately by Valeriano, Antipolo 1st District Rep. Ronaldo Puno, and by Razon.</p><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/1/14/razon-files-cyberlibel-complaint-vs-barzaga-1729">READ: Enrique Razon files cyberlibel complaint vs Barzaga</a></div><p>Barzaga also accused the late Antipolo 2nd District Rep. Romeo Acop of allegedly being involved in flood control corruption. He did not provide evidence against his deceased colleague.</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>DUTERTES: ETHICS PANEL CANNOT SUPERSEDE WILL OF BARZAGA&#x27;S CONSTITUTENTS</strong></div><p>Davao City 1st District Rep. Paolo Duterte, his son Davao City 2nd District Rep. Omar Duterte, cousin Puwersa ng Pilipinong Pandagat (PPP) Party-List Rep. Harold Duterte and Davao City 3rd District Isidro Ungab expressed support for Barzaga before the session.</p><p>In a statement shared on social media, they said &quot;a handful of members of the House Ethics Committee cannot, and should not, presume to supersede the will of the thousands of voters who elected Rep. Barzaga to represent his congressional district.&quot;</p><p>The House has since adopted the panel&#x27;s recommendation, with 238 members voting on behalf of their own constituencies. </p><p>The Dutertes and Ungab said Barzaga was exercising his freedom of speech, adding &quot;political speech—especially when it is critical, sharp, or uncomfortable—is not a punishable offense in a democratic society.&quot; </p><p>The courts of law are the proper venue to address concerns of defamation, according to the congressmen. </p><p>The document posted by Rep. Paolo Duterte was dated January 4, 2025, but was marked received on February 4.</p><p>The Cavite congressman — son of the late congressman and long-time NUP member Elpidio Barzaga  — was first slapped with a 60-day suspension last December over &quot;inappropriate social media posts and misconduct.&quot;</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>REPEATED NOTIFICATIONS</strong></div><p>Ethics Committee Chairperson JC M. Abalos explained that Barzaga had been repeatedly notified regarding his alleged misconduct. </p><p>However, instead of attending hearings to address the accusations against him, Barzaga allegedly chose to post another social media message, which further contributed to the decision to extend his suspension.</p><p>&quot;Unfortunately Madam Speaker, Representative Barzaga declared that he will not be attending the ethics hearing and had the audacity to post, ‘I will be ignoring the summons of the ethics committee expel me if they want, but the Philippine Congress has done nothing but destroy the lives of the Filipino people&#x27;,&quot; Abalos said.</p><p>During the same session, 1st District Representative Janette Garin explained her vote in favor of the suspension, saying she did so “with a heavy heart.” </p><p>&quot;I voted yes with a heavy heart, because I have tried several times with extreme patience, helping the son of our former colleague, Congressman Pidi Barzaga,&quot; Garin explained.</p><p>Barzaga later dismissed Garin’s statement, describing her remarks as &quot;dramatic.&quot;</p><p>Despite the overwhelming vote in favor of Barzaga’s suspension, several legislators expressed their support for the suspended congressman.</p><p>&quot;Ang pinarurusahan natin sa mga na ito ay hindi si Cong. Barzaga, kung hindi ang mga taong nasasakupan ng kanyang pamumuno. Ang mga mamamayan ng Dasmariñas Cavite,&quot; said SAGIP Partylist representative Paolo Henry Marcoleta.</p><p>Barzaga stressed that Congress should rather divert their focus on urgent concerns of an average Filipino.</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>RELATED VIDEO:</strong></div><div><strong><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/qmv5Hxe1HZ8?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span></strong><br/></div>

<p>The House voted Wednesday to suspend Cavite 4th District Rep. Kiko Barzaga another 60 days — without pay and allowances — as recommended by its ethics panel.</p>

The House voted Wednesday to suspend Cavite 4th District Rep. Kiko Barzaga another 60 days — without pay and allowances — as recommended by its ethics panel.

House suspends Barzaga another 60 days

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House suspends Barzaga another 60 days

Dennis Gasgonia,

Darylle Sarmiento,

ABS-CBN News

Published February 04, 2026 05:05 PM PHT

|

Updated February 14, 2026 03:05 PM PHT

Read More:

Kiko Barzaga

Suspension

House of Representatives

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