Social media isn't a license to malign other people,

This was seemingly the lesson that Manila 2rd district Rep. Rolando Valeriano wanted to impart to his countrymen after the city prosecutors office elevated the cyberlibel complaint he filed against the expelled Cavite 4th district Rep. Francisco "Kiko" Barzaga to the Manila Regional Trial Court.

“Malaya ang bawat Pilipino na magpahayag ng opinyon at pumuna sa mga opisyal ng pamahalaan. Pero walang sinuman ang may karapatang mambato ng mga paratang na walang ebidensiya at sirain ang dangal ng kapwa,” Valeriano said in a statement Thursday, July 9.

(Every Filipino is free to express opinions and criticize government officials. But no one has the right to hurl accusations without evidence and destroy another’s dignity.)

“Hindi lisensya ang social media para manira. Kung may ebidensiya, ilabas. Kung wala, may pananagutan sa batas,” noted the chairman of the House Committee on Public Order and Safety.

(Social media is not a license to malign. If there is evidence, present it. If none, there is accountability under the law.)

Valeriano, a National Unity Party (NUP) stalwart, filed the cyberlibel complaint against "congressmeow" Barzaga on Jan. 21, 2026.

The Manila solon pointed to a Jan. 9, 2026 Facebook post from Barzaga wherein the latter alleged that “NUP Congressmen received bribes from Enrique Razon in various gatherings in Solaire prior to the 2025 elections in exchange for supporting Speaker Martin Romualdez.”

He denied this claim, and noted that Romualdez ran unopposed. He also pointed that the NUP only had around 40 members in the 300-plus strong legislative chamber.

“Sampalataya ako sa due process. Ang korte ang tamang venue para alamin ang katotohanan. Hahayaan kong ebidensiya na ang mangusap dyan,” Valeriano said.

(I believe in due process. The court is the proper venue to determine the truth. I will let the evidence speak there.)

Barzaga--who became more famous for his social media flamebaiting than his legislative woek--was officially expelled from the House of Representatives on June 2,

The eccentric cat lover lasted just 338 days in office—27 days short of a full year—before his colleagues decided to impose the harshest penalty available under the Constitution.

The 27‑year‑old lawmaker had already served two separate 60‑day suspensions without pay for “disorderly behavior".