Kiko Barzaga asked Sandro Marcos for support as Speaker, is facing ethics suit –Puno

Cavite Rep. Kiko Barzaga went to the office of House Majority Leader and Ilocos Norte Rep. Sandro Marcos and asked for the latter's support to be made Speaker of the House of Representatives, Deputy Speaker and Antipolo Rep. Ronaldo Puno told reporters yesterday.

Puno said the National Unity Party is looking to file a case before the House Committee on Ethics against Barzaga.

"He said, 'Everybody, sit down. I want to tell you of my plans, of what I want to do in Congress. I am running for Speaker... If you will support me, I will make you Deputy Speaker',” Puno said in narrating what Kiko Barzaga allegedly told Sandro Marcos, the son of President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr.

“Nagulat ang majority leader, but being the gentleman that he is, hinayaan niya lang. Then sa session, umiikot, campaigning to be Speaker, saying he is going to declare all seats vacant. For us who were there, iyong ginagawa ay wala sa lugar, hindi dapat sa mga congressman. It is not appropriate,” Puno said.

(The majority leader was caught by surprise but the gentleman that he is, he just let it go. Then sa session, Kiko Barzaga was going around, campaigning to be Speaker and saying he was going to declare all seats vacant. For us were there, it was out of place for a congressman. It is not appropriate.)

Puno said Sandro Marcos informed him about what Kiko Barzaga allegedly did on Monday morning.

GMA News Online has sought comments from both Sandro Marcos and Kiko Barzaga.

In a Facebook post, Kiko Barzaga said, "Chairman Puno is mistaken, I am the one calling for peace. He is too detached from the common people that he became unaware of the lengths an oppressed citizen will go to get justice."

Barzaga scion

Kiko Barzaga is the son of longtime NUP stalwarts, the late former Dasmariñas Mayor and Cavite Rep. Elpidio "Pidi" Barzaga, and Dasmariñas City Mayor Jenny Barzaga.

Pidi Barzaga was one of the founders of the NUP, Puno said.

"We wish we would not have to do this because we don't want to hurt his mother, but she said she cannot handle her son. We will help her deal with her son, so he becomes more sensible," Puno said.

The deputy speaker said the mother advised the NUP party leaders not to give Kiko Barzaga too many tasks.

'Not well'

"I know he is not well, but we cannot allow this behavior to be not responded to. Somebody has to discipline this boy,” Puno said.

The damage being done, he said, was not only to the party.

“This is not about the culpability of the individual we are focusing on. It is the Code of Conduct,” Puno said.

The incumbent congressman resigned from the NUP, reportedly after he was confronted about calling for the ouster of Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez.

The planned ethics complaint also comes in the wake of Kiko Barzaga’s repeated comments on his Facebook page linking government officials to corruption, including House leaders, as well as Cabinet officials.  –NB, GMA Integrated News