Jamaine Punzalan

Article (news)

Katrina Domingo

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/1780458801291SARA-KIKO1 (1).jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">Vice President Sara Duterte and former Cavite Rep. Kiko Barzaga. Maria Tan, ABS-CBN News</span></span></span></div><p>MANILA — Vice President Sara Duterte penned an open letter for former Cavite Rep. Kiko Barzaga to express her support for the lawmaker following his <a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/6/2/house-panel-recommends-kiko-barzaga-s-expulsion-1825">expulsion from the House of Representatives.</a></p><p>Duterte told Barzaga — who has been criticized for his penchant for cats and unconventional antics such as meowing during interviews and speeches — that “being different is okay.”</p><p>“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&#x27;s okay,” Duterte said, noting that she posted the message on social media because she did not have the lawmaker’s contact number. </p><p>“Ako man ay itinuturing na kakaiba. llang beses na akong tinawag na baliw, bobo, at kung anu-ano pa dahil lamang sa pagtangging sumunod sa nakasanayan,” she said.</p><p>“Walking alone is okay, too. It takes courage to charge forward even if no one will follow you.”</p><div><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/post.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FMayorIndaySaraDuterteOfficial%2Fposts%2Fpfbid02cjiEry4gYgiV6va3tB3wHNBbP7PWguMWBPKRQZQsoPjoZZfVaa1EF2r7qLSmrZxJl&amp;show_text=false&amp;width=500" width="500" height="498" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span></div><p>Duterte did not name other politicians in her message, but told the Caviteño politician that he is “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.”</p><p>“Your resolve is a daily reminder that character matters more than conformity,” the Vice President said.</p><p>“The strength you show inspires more Filipinos than you may ever know.”</p><p>Duterte ended her message by reminding Barzaga to drink more water and take more Vitamin C so that he could recover well from his colds.</p><p>“Mahal kang Diyos, mga Caviteño, mga Dabawenyo, mga agila at ng mga pusa,” she said. </p><p>Barzaga was stripped of his seat in the House of Representatives on Tuesday after 266 of his peers in the chamber voted for his expulsion, citing his supposedly unruly behavior in public and on social media.</p><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/6/3/why-kiko-barzaga-was-expelled-from-the-house-of-representatives-according-to-garin-0853">Why Kiko Barzaga was expelled from the House of Representatives, according to Garin</a></div><p>Barzaga — a vocal supporter of Duterte — had been flagged for insulting President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., and a recently deceased congressman, cracking jokes about setting the Batasang Pambansa building on fire, and accusing lawmakers of pocketing multimillion-peso bribes without providing sufficient evidence.</p><p>Fourteen House members voted against his expulsion, while 8 others abstained. </p><div><br/></div><div><strong>RELATED VIDEOS:</strong></div><div><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/ioFZs4sQZOQ?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><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/cGDy2AXSDek?&amp;pp=0gcJCSgLAYcqIYzv&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><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/yRoiofidIKo?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><br/></div>

<p>Vice President Sara Duterte on Wednesday told Francisco Barzaga that “being different is okay” following his expulsion from the House of Representatives.</p>

Vice President Sara Duterte on Wednesday told Francisco Barzaga that “being different is okay” following his expulsion from the House of Representatives.

Sara Duterte tells expelled congressman Barzaga: ‘Being different is okay’

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Sara Duterte tells expelled congressman Barzaga: ‘Being different is okay’

Katrina Domingo,

ABS-CBN News

Published June 03, 2026 10:04 AM PHT

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Updated June 03, 2026 07:33 PM PHT

Read More:

Sara Duterte

Kiko Barzaga

House of Representatives

politics

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