Cavite 4th district Rep. Francisco "Kiko" Barzaga bolted both the National Unity Party (NUP) and the House majority bloc Wednesday, Sept. 10 following allegations that he was involved in a plot to oust Speaker Martin Romualdez.

Barzaga shared this decision to his followers in a Facebook post Wednesday afternoon.

"While the betrayal of trust is disappointing, I believe it is in the best interests of both myself and the [NUP] that we go our separate ways, I will also be leaving the majority since I voted for Speaker Romualdez due to my party’s instructions," he wrote.

Barzaga, the self-proclaimed "congressmeow", prefaced his post with a very serious tone as he laid out the reason for his resignation from the party.

"I, Congressman Kiko Barzaga, will discuss a matter that I believe concerns not just my party, but the nation as a whole," he said.

"Yesterday night, I have been informed that Deputy Speaker [Antipolo City 1st district Rep. Ronaldo 'Ronnie'] Puno, the chairman of the [NUP] implicated me in a plot to remove Speaker Romualdez from his position, and that I am collecting signatures to do so. That notion is false," he said.

"My statement regarding Deputy Speaker Puno’s resignation during our party’s meeting earlier this week was also misinterpreted, the intent of my message was that he should resign if his removal was inevitable, and that the reputation of the lower house as a whole is not one that he is capable of defending, nor is it in his best interest to do so," added Barzaga.

Puno, who made headlines the past few weeks for his criticims on faulty 2026 National Expenditure Program (NEP), has not resigned.

Barzaga underscorec that he "did not state anything negative about his [Puno] performance or the performance of the House".

The 26-year-old neophyte solon also touched on some of his sentiments with NUP--one of the biggest and most respected in the country.

"I have spent my political career advancing the interests of the party, even if said interests necessitate conflict with my own family like what occurred during the 2022 elections, I still chose to agree to the collective decision of the party over my family’s personal wishes."

To close his statement--which came with a picture of a kitten--Barzaga took a shot at the very person he denied he sought to remove as Speaker.

"I supported Speaker Romualdez due to this, though now that I am free from my party’s constraints, I suggest that he must be investigated for any anomalies involving Flood Control Public Funds. Specifically during the time when he was given the caretaker position of my district upon my father’s death on April 27, 2024," he said.

"That will be all, thank you and have a great day!" said the son of the late Rep. Elpidio Barzaga Jr.

With his exit from NUP and the majority bloc, the younger Barzaga will lose his post as assistant majority leader.

Puno--chairman of the NUP--confirmed Barzaga's resignation from the party in a subsequent statement Wednesday afternoon.

"We confirm that Congressman Kiko Barzaga has verbally informed us of his resignation from the [NUP] and his intent to join the House minority," Puno said.

"We accept his decision to resign and wish him well in his future endeavors," he added.