Barzaga hit with second libel case over bribery claims in Congress

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January 20, 2026 | 3:30pm

MANILA, Philippines — House Deputy Speaker Ronaldo Puno officially took legal action against Rep. Kiko Barzaga (Cavite, 4th District) over bribery allegations involving the National Unity Party (NUP).

Puno, who chairs the House’s second-largest party, filed a cyberlibel complaint against Barzaga on Tuesday, January 20, at the Antipolo City Prosecutor’s Office over Facebook posts referring to him.

One of the posts he cited was the one made on January 9. Barzaga claimed that NUP members accepted bribes from businessman Enrique Razon Jr. ahead of the 2025 midterm elections to back Rep. Martin Romualdez’s speakership bid in the 20th Congress. The post has since been deleted.

Puno has denied Barzaga’s claims, arguing in the complaint that the post’s bribery allegations constitute a criminal offense and meet the elements of cyber libel, as it was made publicly through a computer system with malicious intent.

The post was published on Barzaga’s official, verified Facebook account, “Congressman Kiko Barzaga,” which currently has around 1.2 million followers. 

The lawmaker also runs the Facebook page, “Kiko Barzaga,” which has roughly 1 million followers. He uses it occasionally to react to statements from other public officials, either about himself or the ongoing flood control controversy, in the style of quote cards.

Even while serving a 60-day no-pay suspension over an ethics complaint filed by the party he was accusing, Barzaga continued posting content similar to what had gotten him suspended for “disorderly conduct” in the first place.

Other posts referenced in the complaint include one on January 13, where Barzaga said Puno was “bought by Enrique Razon,” and two on January 16 in which he described Puno as an incompetent and thieving congressman.

Puno said that Barzaga’s actions have only shown continued “defiance” of the ethics committee when he publicly made the bribery claims against NUP and its members.

“You cannot casually accuse someone of a crime, broadcast it to millions, and expect to hide behind social media antics,” Puno said in a statement. “We will pursue full accountability under the law.” 

The deputy speaker also argued that Barzaga’s allegedly libelous statements outside Congress should not be covered by parliamentary immunity, since they do not relate to legislative action, speech or debate within Congress.

“Other NUP Members who were similarly maligned are already in the process of filing their own complaints,” Puno said. 

“This is not about rhetoric. As we’ve said before, this is about protecting our reputations and enforcing accountability when outright falsehoods are thrown at us,” he added.

The cyberlibel case Puno also sought was not civil but criminal, which meant imprisonment as a possible penalty. He may, however, pursue a separate civil action against Barzaga for damages over the same acts. 

Barzaga is also facing a separate libel complaint from Razon over the same post. The businessman is seeking P110 million in moral and exemplary damages, arguing that Barzaga’s statements no longer fall under political speech but constitute criminal defamation.

The lawmaker said he will face Razon in court and present the evidence he claims to have in Congress once his suspension ends.

Puno, however, has already revealed plans to file another ethics complaint against Barzaga, this time seeking his expulsion from Congress rather than merely extending his suspension.