Ports and casino businessman Enrique Razon has turned to prosecutors after a social media post linked him to alleged bribery inside the House of Representatives, filing two cyberlibel complaints against suspended Cavite Rep. Francisco Barzaga.
The complaints were lodged on Wednesday before the Makati City Prosecutor’s Office and include a claim for at least P100 million in moral damages and P10 million in exemplary damages. Razon said the post damaged his reputation and caused emotional distress.
At the center of the case is a Facebook post published by Barzaga on Jan. 9 that described Razon as “the mastermind behind the corruption in Congress,” accusing him of paying off lawmakers to secure Speaker Martin Romualdez’s position under the 20th Congress. The post also carried the hashtag “#IkulongSiRazon.”
Although the post was later taken down, Razon said it had already circulated widely and was viewed by thousands, including colleagues and staff, after being picked up by media outlets.
In a statement, Razon rejected the accusations as “knowingly false or made with reckless disregard for the truth,” arguing that the claims went beyond political criticism and amounted to criminal defamation.
“Romualdez ran unopposed and won a supermajority of votes to be reelected Speaker in 2025, making any alleged bribery unnecessary,” Razon said, adding that he plays no role in congressional leadership contests and has no influence over lawmakers’ votes.
The allegations also drew a response from the National Unity Party (NUP), which Barzaga claimed had been bribed. Earlier this week, the party’s leadership said it was considering legal action of its own, describing the accusations as baseless.
“There was no contest. To claim that bribes were paid in a situation where there was no contest at all defies logic,” said House Deputy Speaker and Antipolo Rep. Ronaldo Puno, who leads the NUP.
Puno said Barzaga unfairly targeted the entire party, noting that the lawmaker is the son of the late Cavite Rep. Elpidio Barzaga, a longtime NUP leader, and was himself once a member. “To turn around and accuse the NUP of criminal conduct, without evidence, shows a reckless and deeply irresponsible contempt for the truth,” he added.
Barzaga, a first-term lawmaker, left the NUP last year after claiming that Puno had linked him to an alleged effort to unseat Romualdez. Puno has denied that accusation.
The Cavite representative is currently serving a 60-day suspension without pay imposed by the House on Dec. 1 following a complaint filed by the NUP before the chamber’s ethics committee. The party cited Barzaga’s social media posts that allegedly incited hostility toward the House, ridiculed fellow lawmakers, and included a photo showing him with a scantily clad woman.
With the suspension set to lapse next month, the NUP has asked the ethics committee to determine whether Barzaga remains fit to resume his duties, citing continued online posts that it says undermine the ethical standards of the House, including remarks mocking the late Antipolo Rep. Romeo Acop and posts promoting conspiracy theories about the death of former public works undersecretary Catalina Cabral.
