The House of Representatives has sufficient grounds to impose a tougher penalty on Cavite 4th District Representative Kiko Barzaga, according to Bicol Saro Partylist Representative Terry Ridon, following renewed calls for his suspension.
Earlier this week, Manila 2nd District Representative Rolando Valeriano filed a resolution seeking an additional 60-day suspension without pay and allowances against Barzaga.
Valeriano said Barzaga continued to violate House rules through a social media post accusing National Unity Party (NUP) lawmakers of receiving bribes from business tycoon Enrique Razon to support former House Speaker and Leyte 1st District Representative Martin Romualdez—an allegation Valeriano described as a “huge lie.”
Barzaga is also facing libel complaints related to the same claim.
The House has authorized its Committee on Ethics and Privileges to conduct hearings, assess Barzaga’s conduct during his suspension, and submit its findings to the plenary.
Despite this, Barzaga said he would ignore the committee’s summons, declaring that the House could “expel me if they want,” and adding that Congress “has done nothing but destroy the lives of the Filipino People.”
Ridon said Barzaga’s statements suggest he has already accepted the possibility of harsher sanctions.
“So, I guess there’s every basis to grant him his request,” Ridon said.
“I don’t think in the last couple of weeks that he was suspended, he ever really changed his mind on the basis of his suspension,” he added.
Ridon emphasized that any additional penalty would ultimately depend on the outcome of the ethics committee’s proceedings.
“So, if the Ethics Committee deems it best to extend the suspension, then he will get suspended further. But if it is the wisdom of the Ethics Committee that he should get expelled based on the new information and the new allegations, then he will probably get expelled,” he said.
Any recommendation by the committee would still require approval by the House in plenary.