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Puno’s Righteous Jihad: Congress Must Be Saved from One Man’s Posts… But Not from Nine-Figure Envelopes

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Louis ‘Barok’ Biraogo

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Puno’s Righteous Jihad: Congress Must Be Saved from One Man’s Posts… But Not from Nine-Figure Envelopes
Congress’s Purity Campaign — Sponsored by Selective Amnesia and Selective Outrage

By Louis ‘Barok‘ C. Biraogo — January 17, 2026

MGA ka-kweba, here in the cave of truth, we don’t do polite press releases. We cut through the sanctimonious fog of congressional “decorum” with the cold steel of facts, precedent, and unsparing political autopsy. The current spectacle pitting suspended Cavite Rep. Francisco “Kiko” Barzaga against Deputy Speaker Ronaldo “Ronnie” Puno (and the NUP machine he chairs) is classic Philippine political theater: one part institutional piety, one part vendetta, and a generous splash of billionaire lawfare.

Let’s dissect the corpse.

“Warning: Contents may expose lawmakers to actual law.”

The Dueling Narratives: Guardian of Decorum vs. Martyr of the Meme

Puno casts himself as the weary sentinel of congressional dignity. Barzaga, he laments, “does not seem to have learned his lesson” from a 60-day suspension — instead “ratcheting up his bad behavior,” “mocking Congress,” and creating “confusion” that “tarnishes the reputation of everybody.” Expulsion, Puno warns, may be the only way to end the endless cycle of defiance.

Barzaga, by contrast, occupies the familiar role of the persecuted whistleblower. His bribery allegations — that Enrique Razon bankrolled a Solaire Resort vote-buying spree to lock in Martin Romualdez’s unopposed reelection — are framed as explosive truth-telling. The ethics raps? Mere cover for silencing a critic of the supermajority. The suspension? Political payback for daring to speak.

Who wins the optics war? Puno holds the procedural high ground and the party machinery. Barzaga owns the viral outrage lane — the young, brash, social-media-native disruptor.

Here are two faces of the conflict: the suspended congressman who refuses to fade quietly…

…and the younger Barzaga in full defiant mode.

Legal & Ethical Crossfire: Disorderly Behavior or Pretextual Discipline?

The constitutional hook is Article VI, Section 16(3) of the 1987 Philippine Constitution: each House may punish members for “disorderly behavior” and — with two-thirds concurrence — expel them. The Supreme Court has long treated this power as near-absolute, as affirmed in the landmark case Osmeña v. Pendatun (G.R. No. L-17144, October 28, 1960), where the Court ruled that the House is the sole judge of what constitutes disorderly behavior.

Is Barzaga’s cocktail of “lewd photos,” “cold cash” flaunting, plenary antics, and post-suspension attacks a genuine threat to institutional integrity? Or is it convenient pretext to neuter a loose cannon who keeps naming names in the bribery saga?

Republic Act No. 6713 (the Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employees) supplies the ethical ammunition: public officials must act with “modesty,” avoid “ostentatious display of wealth,” and refrain from conduct contrary to “good morals” and “public interest.” The House Ethics Committee already bought the argument that Barzaga’s social-media oeuvre — lewd selfies, cash-bragging — crossed that line.

Yet here’s the rub: tasteless does not always equal impeachable. Social media posts, even vulgar ones, often fall under protected expression unless they cross into defamation or incitement. The line between “unbecoming” and actionable misconduct is blurry — and suspiciously convenient when wielded against critics.

Then comes Enrique Razon’s P110-million cyberlibel broadside (P100M moral + P10M exemplary damages) under the Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012 (Republic Act No. 10175). Razon insists Romualdez ran unopposed; no bribe was needed. The suit is textbook lawfare: weaponize the law to impose ruinous financial pain and deter future accusations.

The chilling effect is obvious. A massive judgment would scream to every politician with a Facebook account: criticize the powerful at your peril.

Here’s the House plenary hall where the real votes — and the 2/3 expulsion threshold — will be decided.

And the billionaire at the center of the storm.

The Theater of Motives: Who Gains What?

  • Puno & NUP: This isn’t just about decorum. It’s about party discipline, protecting the Romualdez supermajority, and burying corruption narratives before they metastasize. Barzaga is the “loose cannon” who must be spiked — lest his posts inspire copycats.
  • Barzaga: Principled crusader or calculating shitposter? He’s clearly building an anti-establishment brand, possibly with eyes on Duterte-aligned realignment in Cavite. Suspension didn’t silence him; it amplified him.
  • Razon: Pure reputation defense? Or a billionaire’s masterclass in deterrence — reminding the entire political class that crossing certain red lines carries existential cost?

Here’s Puno, the institutional heavyweight.

Procedural Intrigue & Endgame Scenarios

The new expulsion push requires two-thirds (roughly 200+ votes) — doable if the supermajority stays solid. The “fitness test” demand? A low blow dressed as concern. It stigmatizes mental health, sets a sinister precedent for weaponizing medical evaluations against dissenters, and reeks of personal animus.

Possible outcomes:

  • Expulsion → Barzaga becomes instant martyr; special election in Cavite 4th becomes referendum on the leadership.
  • Resignation → He exits on his terms, preserves future eligibility, avoids the expulsion brand.
  • Ceasefire/Negotiated Return → Rare, but possible if cooler heads prevail with apologies and conduct pledges.
  • Libel Victory for Razon → A nine-figure judgment cripples Barzaga financially and chills online political speech nationwide.

Broader Implications & The Barok Verdict

When does disciplining “disorderly” members slide into purging inconvenient voices? The House can — and should — police its own dignity. But when suspension morphs into expulsion threats, fitness-test humiliation, and billionaire-backed libel bombs, the institution risks looking less like a co-equal branch and more like a protection racket for the powerful.

The Rule of Law demands transparency on every bribery claim — investigate them properly, not bury them under ethics raps. It demands proportionality in discipline, not escalation to expulsion for a member who — however crudely — raises corruption questions.

Philippine democracy needs both order and the oxygen of disruptive truth-telling. A Congress that cannot tolerate a Kiko Barzaga — warts, memes, and all — is a Congress that fears its own reflection.

Let the plenary decide. But let it do so honestly, not as a political hit squad.

Because in the end, the real disorderly behavior isn’t a few lewd posts or brash allegations.

It’s the quiet conspiracy to make inconvenient voices disappear — while pretending it’s all for the good name of the House.

They can suspend the man, but they can’t suspend the truth.
See you in the comments section they’re too scared to read.

  • — Barok, undefeated by decorum

Key Citations

A. Legal & Official Sources

B. News Reports

Louis ‘Barok‘ C. Biraogo

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