The House of Representatives voted on Tuesday to expel Cavite 4th District Representative Kiko Barzaga from the 20th Congress due to persistent disorderly behavior and continuous attacks against his colleagues and the legislative body.
During the plenary session, the chamber adopted Committee Report No. 289 with an overwhelming 265 affirmative votes, 14 negative votes, and eight abstentions. Following the vote, Barzaga’s name was formally removed from the congressional roster.
The ethics panel’s findings were delivered by 4Ps Party-list Representative JC Abalos, who explained that harsher penalties were required since past suspensions had no effect on Barzaga’s actions.
“With the representative having meted with 60-day suspensions in two instances, the committee considers that another penalty of suspension will not likely deter the improper behavior which continuously reflects negatively on the image of the House of Representatives,” Abalos said.
House records reveal that Barzaga first faced a 60-day suspension in December 2025 over an ethics complaint regarding his social media conduct, initiated by members of the National Unity Party. He received a second 60-day suspension in February 2026 for persisting with the same behavior.
The final complaint was lodged by Iloilo 1st District Representative Janette Garin after Barzaga publicly linked her and Iloilo 3rd District Representative Lorenz Defensor to a case involving the accidental fatal shooting of a local vice mayor. The ethics committee pointed out that Barzaga skipped the hearings despite receiving invitations to attend.
According to the panel, the inquiry uncovered clear proof of a chronic pattern of disruptive conduct that compromised House decorum.
“The formal investigation revealed substantial evidence that Representative Barzaga engaged in a pattern of highly disruptive, discordious, and disorderly behavior that directly obstructed plenary sessions and desecrated parliamentary solemnity,” Abalos stated.
The committee highlighted Barzaga’s disruptive acts inside the session hall, his public tirades against House leaders, and online videos where he labeled his peers as “buwaya” (crocodiles) and called Congress a “crocodile farm.”
“Therefore, the committee approves to recommend the imposition of the most severe penalty of expulsion from office upon Representative Kiko Barzaga,” Abalos added.
He concluded:
“Madam Speaker, let this report serve as a firm reminder that while opinions may differ and expressions may vary, the sanctity of the legislative process and the respect for the Filipino people we represent must remain absolute.”
While lawmakers like Philip Acop, Rolando Valeriano, and Pepito Alvarez stood up to defend the committee report, a few members opposed the expulsion, including Edgar Erice, Toby Tiangco, Bong Suntay, Isidro Ungab, Paolo Henry Marcoleta, Robert Nazal, and Richard Gomez. Ultimately, the house majority prevailed to uphold the decision.