THE Commission on Elections (Comelec) will have to do a lot of explaining over what looks more like former Rep. Kiko Barzaga’s “earnest effort” to secure his mom a seat at the House of Representatives, months after he was expelled from the lower chamber.
Way ahead of the August 30 special elections for Cavite’s 4th congressional district–netizens are now questioning Barzaga’s P50-million “donation” to the Comelec.
For one, such an act is inappropriate and smacks of buying the seat for Kiko’s mother, Dasmarinas City Mayor Jennifer Barzaga.
Netizens claimed that the donation could be tainted with conflict of interest m— “The donation would have been okay, but the mayor is a candidate and the vice mayor, who handed over the donation, is the mayor’s son,” one of the netizens wrote on Facebook.
Other posts noted that the donation was turned over by acting Mayor Elpidio Barzaga III, after his mother stepped aside because of her candidacy. But why in the first place would a donation to the Comelec be made in anticipation of a coming election in the district.
Netizens said the donation compromises the Comelec’s institutional neutrality as the special district election on Aug. 30 draws near.
The Comelec expects 448,883 registered voters to cast their votes in 3,166 voting precincts in Dasmariñas.
There was no immediate comment from the Comelec.
The Barzaga family has been a political dynasty for decades, earning from legal and professional practices, and inherited assets.
Family members have held top local and national posts for many years, including late patriarch and congressman Elpidio “Pidi” Barzaga Jr., long-serving Dasmariñas Mayor Jennifer Austria Barzaga, and expelled Rep. Francisco “Kiko” Barzaga.
Their wealth multiplied from regular salaries, allowances, and lawful income derived from decades occupying mayoral, congressional, and local legislative positions.
Lawmakers from the family declare modest direct baseline funds or specific cash donations in official disclosures, while noting larger pools of real estate, vehicles, and accumulated family funds tied to estate holdings.
Generational property ownership and untransferred estate assets originated from the late Congressman Pidi Barzaga, who also had a long career as a prominent practicing lawyer and public official.
Prior to his expulsion last June, Barzaga released on Facebook a copy of his SALN (statement of assets, liabilities and networth) of P4.275 million, which indicated he currently has no real properties at hand and just four personal properties– cash from a donation in 2019 worth P3.025 million, cash from his monthly income from 2019 to 2024 of P2.350 million and two donated vehicles– a Toyota Camry and a Toyota HiAce both donated to him in 2019. He did not list any liability.
He enumerated four relatives in government namely: his mother Jennifer Barzaga mayor of Dasmarinas City; his brother Elpidio Barzaga III, vice mayor of Dasmarinas City; his auntie, Jocelyn Austria, Senior Administrative Assistant III in Dasmarinas City government and his uncle, Nickanor Austria Jr., provincial capitol board member.
Barzaga clarified that his assets do not include those inherited from his father, late former Cavite Rep. Elpidio Barzaga Jr., which hasn’t been transferred to him. The inherited assets are worth P35 million.