It’s official: Kiko Barzaga is no longer a Representative in the Lower House. With 265 votes for, 14 against, and 8 abstentions, it’s pretty clear that a huge chunk of his erstwhile colleagues felt he had no business being a member of Congress. A good chunk of us probably had zero idea this was even possible. Let’s talk about this highly unusual situation, because there’s so much about it that boggles the mind.

8. This wasn’t a surprise to people in the know

Officially, Barzaga’s stint as Cavite 4th District congressman lasted 338 days. That’s just 27 days short of a full year. In that time, he managed two suspensions, multiple ethics complaints, and enough viral moments to outlast most people’s entire news cycles. Not bad for someone who never even finished college.

That being said, if you’ve been paying attention, he had two prior suspensions, and if you know your sports analogies, the third major infraction pretty much meant he was out. 

Baseball, huh. That tracks.

7. The charges sound almost too mundane for how dramatic this all is

The House expelled Barzaga for disorderly behavior, conduct unbecoming of a member, and violations of the House Code of Conduct. Translation: he was extremely online in a room full of people who are not. The specific acts included livestreaming inside the session hall, posting altered images of House leaders, and making satirical comments about fellow lawmakers.

6. He kept doing it while he was already being punished for doing it

The really audacious part wasn’t the posts: it was the timing. His second suspension stemmed from findings that Barzaga continued posting malicious and defamatory content on social media from December 1, 2025 to January 30, 2026. This was the exact period he was already serving his first suspension. The House told him to stop. He did not stop. It was the pattern of disruptive behavior, more than the severity of the infraction, that likely did him in. Surely, other solons have kept their seat while having done far worse, but doubling down on the offense while already suspended for the exact issue to begin with? Yeah, that wasn’t going to fly.

5. It takes a supermajority to make this happen

Expulsion isn’t something you can do with a slim majority and a grudge. Article VI, Section 16(3) of the 1987 Constitution states that the House may expel a member with the concurrence of two-thirds of all its members. The vote was 265–14, with eight abstentions. 

His colleagues weren’t just done with him. They were overwhelmingly, decisively done, just so over it completely.

4. It ended a political dynasty in Dasmariñas

Kiko’s expulsion ends the reign of the Barzagas in the congressional seat that covers Dasmariñas. His late father Elpidio Jr. first represented the area in Congress in 2007, and after the patriarch died in 2024, Kiko won the seat, but by less than five percentage points against his closest rival. Decades of political capital, gone in under a year. Whoops.

3. He’s only the third person this has ever happened to (And the history is messier than you’d think)

Barzaga is actually the third congressman ever expelled from the Philippine House, if you go all the way back to the American Occupation. 

The first was Dominador Gomez, a Philippine Assembly member representing Manila’s first district, who was expelled way back on June 18, 1908, over “legal controversies.” Specifically, his founding of what the Supreme Court later described as an illicit organization. Then nothing for over a century, until Arnie Teves in 2023, unanimously, also for “disorderly behavior.” And now, Barzaga.

It’s worth noting, though, that other lawmakers were quietly removed from the rolls over the years after criminal convictions. This includes the likes of Romeo Jalosjos and Ruben Ecleo Jr.  Hey, at least, he’s got some company. Dubious company, but company nonetheless.

2. Being expelled doesn’t mean you can’t come back

There’s no constitutional provision explicitly barring an expelled member from running for office again. Expulsion removes you from your seat, but it doesn’t permanently disqualify you from seeking public office the way certain criminal convictions can. Barzaga himself seemed unbothered: before the vote, he told reporters, “Even if I lose my job in Congress, I’m pretty sure I’ll be fine since I have plenty of other opportunities.” Whether Dasmariñas voters agree is a different story.

1. He’s still not out of the woods legally

Losing your seat is bad enough. But Barzaga is also facing a criminal complaint from the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group, accusing him of inciting sedition and rebellion. The expulsion closes the chapter on his congressional career… for now, at least. The legal one is still being written.

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