Mayor Jenny Barzaga Files Candidacy for Cavite Special Congress Race to Succeed Expelled Son

Courtesy: Mayor Jenny Austria-Barzaga

Incumbent City Mayor Jennifer Austria-Barzaga formally threw her hat into the congressional race on Friday afternoon, filing her Certificate of Candidacy (COC) to represent the 4th Legislative District of Cavite.

According to Comelec Chairman George Erwin Garcia, Barzaga submitted her documents at exactly 2:38 p.m. at the New City Hall's Socio-Economic Building, marking the final day of the filing period. Her sudden entry sets up a high-stakes campaign to reclaim the seat left vacant by her son, former Representative Francisco "Kiko" Barzaga.

The Road to the Vacancy

The upcoming special election, scheduled by the poll body for August 29, 2026, was triggered after the House of Representatives took the rare step of expelling the younger Barzaga on June 2.

The lower chamber voted overwhelmingly (265–14) to adopt an ethics committee recommendation citing Kiko Barzaga for "disorderly behavior, conduct unbecoming of a member, and violations of the House Code of Conduct". The legislative fallout stemmed from a series of highly publicized disruptive incidents, including an unannounced intrusion into the office of Majority Leader Sandro Marcos and sharp public feuds with fellow lawmakers.

Despite early rumors of a dramatic political showdown between mother and son, Kiko Barzaga publicly announced on Friday that he would not seek re-election, instead choosing to endorse his mother's congressional bid.

A Five-Way Battle

Mayor Barzaga, who previously represented the exact same congressional district from 2016 to 2019, is not running unopposed. Comelec confirmed that she completes a field of five official candidates vying for the district's 437,000 registered voters.

The other four contenders who filed their COCs earlier in the week include:

• Raul Rex Del Rosario Mangubat (Former Dasmariñas Vice Mayor)
• Marvin Opamin Dupal-ag
• Leysander Aguilar Ordenes (Former presidential aspirant)
• Jacinto Bautista Frani Jr.

Local Succession Impact

The political shift carries major implications for the local government leadership in Dasmariñas City. Under existing statutory succession rules, if Mayor Barzaga wins the congressional seat in the August 29 polls, she will legally vacate the mayoralty.

Her other son, incumbent Vice Mayor Thirdy Barzaga, would immediately assume the office of City Mayor, while the city's highest-ranking councilor would elevate to the vice mayoralty.

The official election period is set to run from July 30 to September 13, during which a strict, localized gun ban will be enforced throughout Dasmariñas City to ensure a peaceful voting process.