Former Cavite 4th District Representative Francisco "Kiko" Barzaga may run in an upcoming special election despite his expulsion from the House of Representatives.
The ruling ensures that a legislative removal does not automatically bar a politician from seeking a mandate from voters. This decision clarifies the distinction between internal parliamentary discipline and the legal qualifications required to hold public office under Philippine election law.
Commission on Elections Chairman George Erwin Garcia said that expulsion from the House does not constitute a disqualification under existing election laws. Because the expulsion is a legislative action and not a judicial or legal disqualification, Barzaga remains eligible to file his candidacy for the vacant seat in Cavite’s fourth District [1], [2].
The special election for the Dasmariñas-based district is expected to take place in August 2026 [3]. The Comelec announcement issued in Manila confirms that the legal threshold for candidacy remains intact for the former representative [4], [5].
Under current regulations, disqualifications typically stem from specific legal convictions or administrative rulings that strip an individual of their right to run. Since the House of Representatives operates as a separate branch of government, its decision to expel a member does not override the eligibility criteria set by the Comelec [1], [4].
Local officials and political observers in Cavite are now monitoring whether Barzaga will officially enter the race. The potential for his return to office creates a complex political dynamic for the August 2026 polls [3], [5].
“Expulsion from the House does not constitute a disqualification under election law.”
This ruling reinforces the legal separation between legislative discipline and electoral eligibility. By determining that expulsion is not a disqualifying offense, the Comelec affirms that the power to remove a sitting member of the House does not extend to preventing that individual from seeking a new mandate from the electorate, effectively leaving the final decision to the voters of the 4th District.
