Members of the House of Representatives voted on Tuesday to expel Cavite 4th District Rep. Francisco “Kiko” Barzaga following the adoption of a report by the House Committee on Ethics and Privileges based on a complaint filed by Iloilo 1st District Rep. Janette Garin.
With 265 lawmakers voting in favor, 14 against, and eight abstaining, Barzaga became only the second member of the House to be expelled through a two-thirds vote of his colleagues.
The first was former Negros Oriental 3rd District Rep. Arnolfo Teves Jr., who was expelled in 2023 after being designated a terrorist under the current administration.
According to the Ethics Committee report, Barzaga violated Sections 141(a) and (b) of House rules, which require members to conduct themselves in a manner that preserves the integrity and credibility of the institution.
Before his expulsion, Barzaga had already served two separate 60-day suspensions stemming from similar offenses involving his social media activities.
“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,” the report stated.
Barzaga was serving his first term after winning the 2025 elections with 165,942 votes, succeeding his late father, former Cavite congressman Elpidio Barzaga Jr.
The controversy surrounding the young lawmaker began in September 2025 when he was accused of engaging in disruptive and disrespectful conduct related to his online activities. These included livestreaming from inside the session hall, posting altered images of House leaders, and making satirical comments about fellow lawmakers.
Earlier, the National Bureau of Investigation also filed a complaint before the House ethics panel over social media posts allegedly linking the bureau to an assassination plot against senators during the recent Senate shooting incident.
