JANUARY 14, 2026 — Ports and casino tycoon Enrique Razon Jr. has just fired a legal cannon at Cavite Rep. Francisco “Kiko” Barzaga, filing two counts of cyberlibel and demanding a jaw-dropping ₱100 million in moral damages plus ₱10 million in exemplary damages. Why? Because Barzaga accused him on Facebook of being “the mastermind behind the corruption in Congress” and bribing National Unity Party (NUP) members at Solaire to back Speaker Martin Romualdez.

The post may have been deleted, but the damage was done — it spread like wildfire through media outlets. Razon, the billionaire behind ICTSI and ranked second richest Filipino by Forbes Asia, dismissed the claims as “knowingly false or made with reckless disregard for the truth.” He even stressed that Barzaga’s words “crossed the line from political speech into criminal defamation.”

His lawyer, Atty. Laurence Arroyo, was blunt: “The basis of this complaint is our position that what he said is false and malicious.” 

Meanwhile, House Deputy Speaker and NUP chairman Ronaldo “Ronnie” Puno earlier added fuel to the fire, saying: “The allegations are baseless, reckless, and malicious ... We will see him in court, since he chose to malign all members of the NUP — a party once led by his own father and one that he himself joined.”

Barzaga, however, remains defiant: “I will reveal the evidence once I return to Congress.”

Rookie vs tycoon

Now, is this case just about one man protecting his name, or is it a wake-up call for politicians who think Facebook posts are free passes to throw accusations without consequence? 

At a time when reputations can be destroyed in a single viral post, isn’t it about time someone teaches the neophyte congressman a lesson? And who better than Razon — armed with resources, reputation, and resolve — to see this battle through?

This is a test of how far accountability goes in the digital age.

Is your bet on the rookie politician who plays fast and loose with accusations, or the seasoned businessman who’s seen it all, owns it all, and won’t let reckless words go unpunished?

(Image: Forbes)