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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider Kiko Barzaga storms inside Sandro Marcos' office; here's what happened

Kiko Barzaga storms inside Sandro Marcos' office; here's what happened

Published Sep 15, 2025 07:33 pm

At A Glance

  • Cavite 4th district Rep. Francisco "Kiko" Barzaga barged into the office of Majority Leader Ilocos Norte 1st district Rep. Sandro Marcos on Monday, Sept. 15 to declare that he was "running for Speaker".
Cavite 4th district Rep. Francisco "Kiko" Barzaga (left), Ilocos Norte 1st district Rep. Sandro Marcos (Facebook)
Cavite 4th district Rep. Francisco "Kiko" Barzaga (left), Ilocos Norte 1st district Rep. Sandro Marcos (Facebook)


Cavite 4th district Rep. Francisco "Kiko" Barzaga barged into the office of Majority Leader Ilocos Norte 1st district Rep. Sandro Marcos on Monday, Sept. 15 to declare that he was "running for Speaker".
Antipolo City 1st district Rep. Ronaldo "Ronnie" Puno shared this face-off of sorts between the two young solons, which took place around noon.
Earlier that day, Barzaga, 27, wrote on his Facebook: "It will be decided this week, when the Speaker [Martin Romualdez] steps down and the seat is announced vacant, the House of Representatives will vote between Speaker Kiko Barzaga and Speaker Sandro Marcos!"
Puno shared in a press conference Monday afternoon: "Kaninang tanghali, pumasok siya [barangay] sa opisina nung majority leader (Earlier this noon, he entered the office of the majority leader)."
"Sinara niya yung pintuan tapos sabi niya (He closed the door and said), 'Everybody sit down... I want to tell you about my plans for what to do with Congress. I am running for Speaker,'" said Puno, who couldn't help nut scratch his head as he narrated what happened.
"'Ikaw,' sabi niya (You, he said), if you will join me, I will make you deputy speaker.' Ganun ang mga salita-salita niya (Those were the words he was saying)," Puno further said.
He didn't specify who Barzaga offered a deputy speaker's post to. Reports said Rep. Marcos, 31, the presidential son, was holding a meeting with colleagues at that time.
Puno said the people within the office were "surprised" by Barzaga's actions, but "didn't react much".
"Si majority leader, syempre, the gentleman that he is, pinabayaan lang siya. And then sabi niya, 'Why are you here?' (Of course, the majority leader, being the gentleman that he is, he let him be. And then he said, 'Why are you here?')"
"Anyway, nagkaroon sila ng mga insidente doon. Hindi umalis, syempre hindi naman pinapaalis dahil mabait yung mga nadatnan niya dun eh. So walang nangyari then lumabas siya (Anyway, they had some incidents there. He didn't leave, because of course they didn't turn him away, he ran into the kind people there. Nothing else happened and then he left)," Puno said of the Barzaga.
Later in plenary, Puno said he saw the self-proclaimed "congressmeow" making rounds and "campaigning to be Speaker".
"Ang sinasabi niya, he is going daw to declare all seats vacant, mga ganyan, kung anong sinasabi niya. For us who are there, gawin mo yung gagawin mo pero parang wala sa lugar, parang hindi dapat actions ng mga congressman na maayos ito," the Antipolo City solon said.
(He's saying that he is going to declare all seats vacant, this and that. For us who are there, just do what you want to do but it's somewhat out of place, and were not the actions of a congressman who was well.)
During plenary session Monday afternoon, Cavite 8th district Rep. Aniela Tolentino replaced Barzaga as assistant majority leader. This was expected, as Barzaga had bolted the Puno-led National Unity Party (NUP) and the majority bloc as a whole last week.
In the same presser, Puno said that the NUP was going to file an ethics complaint against Barzaga based on several grounds.
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