January 17, 2026 | 12:25pm
MANILA, Philippines — House Deputy Speaker Ronaldo Puno said the National Unity Party is looking to have Rep. Kiko Barzaga expelled through a new ethics complaint instead of seeking an extension to his 60-day suspension.
In a press conference on Friday, January 16, Puno said Barzaga has “outright defied” and ignored the House ethics committee’s decision to suspend him, continuing to spread corruption claims against his fellow lawmakers on social media instead of bringing them to the proper forum.
“So I think it demeans the House to have somebody like him,” he said. “Hindi talaga ito behavior ng tunay na mambabatas. Parang naging laru-laro na lang.” (This really isn’t a behavior of a true lawmaker. He’s just treating it like a game.)
“Baka puwedeng i-expel na lang natin ’yan kasi it doesn’t look as if there’s going to be any end to this problem unless he is removed,” Puno added.
(Maybe we should just expel him, because it doesn’t seem like this problem will end unless he’s removed.)
Barzaga recently accused members of the NUP, the House’s second-largest political party, of accepting bribes from businessman Enrique Razon Jr. ahead of the 2025 midterm elections to support Rep. Martin Romualdez’s speakership in the 20th Congress.
In a now-deleted post, he shared screenshots of an alleged conversation he had with NUP requesting him to sign a statement supporting Romualdez when he was still a member.
Puno said the complaint will also cite posts Barzaga made about Rep. Romeo Acop following his death on December 20, 2025, which the deputy speaker described as demeaning, especially to someone who had already passed.
He further explained that privilege speeches are not used to attack fellow lawmakers or inflict harm on them, saying Barzaga’s actions only reflect his lack of understanding of the House rules.
Privilege speeches grant lawmakers uninterrupted time to speak on matters of importance. Rule XVII, however, allows for interruption if “the person or integrity of a member or the House is in clear danger of, or has been inflicted with, such grave harm or injury.”
“Sa Congress hindi puwede mag-privilege speech na inaatake mo ‘yung kapwa congressman mo. May rule na ganyan,” Puno said. “It even shows na he’s ignorant of the rules of the Congress.”
(In Congress, you cannot use a privilege speech to attack your fellow congressman. There’s a rule for that. It even shows that he’s ignorant of the rules of Congress.)
The deputy speaker believes it is necessary to “make an example” of any public official who disregards congressional rules and duties and attempts to sow confusion or harm others’ reputations.
Believing the suspension insufficient, NUP members are already taking legal steps against Barzaga over his allegations.
“Personal affront sa amin ’yan,” he said. “Tapos ang kinakalat nitong Barzaga, itong kasinungalingan na ito na sinusuhulan kami para sa election sa Speaker na nanalo na.”
(It’s a personal affront to us. And then there’s Barzaga spreading this lie that we were bribed for the Speaker election, which has already been won.)
Barzaga said in a Facebook post on Friday that he is willing to accept expulsion from the House, but only if others implicated in the flood control scandal are held equally accountable.
Beyond a looming ethics complaint and anticipated legal actions from NUP members, Razon has also filed a cyber libel case against Barzaga for labeling him the “mastermind behind the corruption in Congress.”
Congress resumes session on January 26, when the ethics committee could begin deliberations on Barzaga’s fitness to return following the end of his suspension on January 30.
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