Manila 2nd District Representative Rolan Valeriano has filed a cyber libel complaint against Cavite 4th District Representative Kiko Barzaga, marking the third legal case against him over a social media post alleging that tycoon Enrique Razon bribed National Unity Party (NUP) members to support former Speaker Martin Romualdez’s reelection.
Valeriano said the post amounted to a direct public accusation of bribery against identifiable legislators, disseminated without evidence and designed to inflict reputational harm.
“Baseless accusations of bribery are not harmless political commentary,” Valeriano said. “They are accusations of criminal conduct, broadcast to the public as if they were established fact. If you claim that legislators were bribed, then you have the duty to prove it. Otherwise, it is a malicious attack designed to destroy our reputations.”
Razon and NUP chair, Antipolo City Representative Ronaldo Puno, had earlier filed separate criminal complaints against Barzaga. The NUP, the second-largest political party in the House, has rallied behind its members in response to the allegations.
Valeriano stressed that the sweeping claims were especially damaging at a time when officials were working to rebuild public trust.
“This is an affront to the entire NUP, not just to one member,” he said. “It was intended to stain a whole bloc of legislators through one sweeping allegation, without evidence, without verification, and without accountability.”
He added that the timing of the accusation magnified its harm.
“These accusations are especially harmful at a time when we are still rebuilding public trust,” Valeriano said. “When lies are repeated as fact, they do not just malign individuals, they weaken institutions.”
Valeriano noted that other NUP members affected by the post were pursuing their own legal remedies, underscoring the party’s unity in defending its members and protecting institutional integrity.