Kiko Barzaga apologizes to Enrique Razon over personal issues
Suspended Cavite Rep. Kiko Barzaga has apologized to businessman Enrique Razon, but only for a personal misunderstanding.
Barzaga was the guest in the Jan. 19 episode of TNT, Ramon Tulfo's podcast with lawyer Clint Aranas. One of the topics discussed were Barzaga's legal troubles involving ports tycoon Razon.
The businessman has filed two counts of cyber libel against Barzaga on Jan. 14 for alleging in a social media post that he bribed members of the National Unity Party to support former House Speaker Martin Romualdez ahead of the 2025 midterm elections. Barzaga followed it with another post where he said he would provide evidence in February after his 60-day suspension ends. Barzaga has since deleted the posts.
After a social media user asked if Barzaga regretted going after "the big guy Razon," the neophyte congressman admitted "it's more of a personal regret."
He narrated how his father, the late former congressman Elpidio Barzaga, Jr., genuinely trusted Razon, who is the Philippines' second-richest billionaire, according to Forbes. While the elder Barzaga once served as the president of the political party National Unity Party, Razon was supposedly a silent supporter of the party.
Barzaga said, presuming his father's closeness to the businessman, he was puzzled why Razon did not attend the funeral of the elder Barzaga, who passed away in 2024.
"I was actually looking forward to seeing him in my father's funeral. And he was not there, and I was wondering why. And then eventually, that turned into a personal grudge against Razon because I was wondering why. He was so close to my father, or my father believed he was so close to him, but he didn't even bother to show up," Barzaga said.
When his legal troubles began, he approached one of his father's aides, who showed him a letter the late congressman wrote to Razon. In it, the elder Barzaga instructed Razon that, in case of his death, Razon was not to attend the funeral as it was a health risk.
"Afterwards, parang nawala na 'yung grudge ko kay Razon. Pero ngayon, may mga kaso na," Barzaga said.
Prodded by Tulfo to apologize because, "baka naman misunderstood mo lang si Razon," Barzaga admitted, "Yeah, I'd like to apologize to him, but I prefer to do it personally."
He added that the apology would be related to his personal issues with Razon, not the legal issue. "Because the legal issue, we still would have to face it in court eventually," Barzaga said.
Toward the end of the podcast, Aranas asked Barzaga for a one-word message to Razon.
"Apologies," Barzaga said. "Kung sakaling magkaroon ng fine or imprisonment as a penalty, tanggap ko naman 'yun. Don't take this as an admission of guilt or an admission of malice."
"If I were to lose my case, I will willingly accept it," he added.
