MANILA, Philippines – Sinabi ni Dasmariñas City Rep. Kiko Barzaga noong Miyerkules na tumalikod na siya sa majority coalition sa House of Representatives at umalis sa National Unity Party (NUP) matapos siyang paghinalaan na sangkot sa planong patalsikin si Speaker Martin Romualdez.
“Yes, I resigned from NUP and the House Majority, mostly due to internal party conflicts. I was accused of removing Speaker Romualdez, which I denied,” saad ni Barzaga.
Sa naunang pahayag, sinabi ni Barzaga na maling inakusahan siya ni Deputy Speaker at Antipolo Rep. Ronaldo Puno na sangkot siya sa planong pagpapatalsik kay Romualdez.
“I have been informed that Deputy Speaker Puno, the chairman of the NUP, implicated me in a plot to remove Speaker Romualdez from his position, and that I am collecting signatures to do so. That notion is false,” aniya.
Sa parehong pahayag na ipinost sa Facebook, sinabi ni Barzaga na dapat ding imbestigahan ng House infrastructure committee flood control probe si Romualdez.
“While the betrayal of trust is disappointing, I believe it is in the best interests of both myself and the National Unity Party that we go our separate ways, I will also be leaving the majority since I voted for Speaker Romualdez due to my party’s instructions,” saad ni Barzaga.
“I supported Speaker Romualdez due to this, though now that I am free from my party’s constraints, I suggest that he must be investigated for any anomalies involving flood control funds, specifically during the time when he was given the caretaker position of my district upon my father’s death on April 27, 2024,” dagdag niya.
Itinanggi ni Puno ang mga paratang ni Barzaga ngunit kinumpirma na ang neophyte lawmaker ay nagbitiw sa partido.
“[It is] not true that we have accused him of anything. Today was the first time I ever really spoke to him. Hello/Hi lang kami before today,” ani Puno.
Sinabi ni Puno na ang pakikipag-usap niya kay Barzaga noong Setyembre 10, ay kasabay din ng pagpapaalam ng neophyte lawmaker sa NUP chairman na aalis na siya sa partido.
“I haven’t received his resignation letter yet but when I do, we will accept it. And we wish him well,” dagdag ni Puno.
Nang tanungin kung ipinaliwanag ni Barzaga ang kanyang mga dahilan sa pag-alis sa party, sinabi ni Puno na hindi ito gaanong sinabi.
“He said it would be better for all of us. He didn’t explain [beyond that],” saad ni Puno.
Ang NUP ay bahagi ng mayoryang koalisyon sa Kamara, na kinabibilangan din ng Nacionalista Party, Nationalist People’s Coalition, Party-list Coalition, Lakas-CMD, at Partido Federal ng Pilipinas. RNT/MND
