Dasmariñas City Mayor Jennifer “Jenny” Barzaga has won the special election for the congressional seat of Cavite’s 4th District, effectively keeping the post within the Barzaga family after her son, Francisco “Kiko” Barzaga, was expelled from the House of Representatives.
Barzaga was proclaimed the new representative of the district after garnering 201,893 votes out of the 258,371 ballots cast in Saturday’s special election.
Former vice mayor Raul Rex Del Rosario Mangubat placed second with 30,373 votes, followed by former councilor Jacinto Bautista Frani Jr. with 24,350 votes. Marvin Opamin Dupal-ag received 1,184 votes, while Leysander Aguilar got 561 votes.
The voter turnout was 57.75%.
The Commission on Elections (COMELEC) held the special election to fill the congressional seat left vacant after the younger Barzaga was expelled by the House on June 2, 2026, over what lawmakers described as “disruptive” and “disorderly” conduct.
The House voted 265-14, with eight abstentions, to expel Barzaga after adopting a committee report finding him guilty of violating parliamentary rules.
Among the conduct cited were repeated interruptions of plenary sessions, mockery of House leadership and unauthorized live broadcasts during budget deliberations. He had also previously been suspended twice for 60 days over social media posts that drew complaints against fellow lawmakers and government officials.
Barzaga’s victory effectively keeps the congressional seat within the family and extends the Barzagas’ political dominance in Dasmariñas, where the clan has held key positions for nearly three decades.
The family’s political presence in the city dates back to 1998, when Elpidio “Pidi” Barzaga Jr. first became mayor.
Earlier in the evening, partial and unofficial results showed Jennifer Barzaga leading the race by a wide margin. By 8:30 p.m., she had 185,668 votes against Mangubat’s 23,208.
Mangubat later conceded based on the partial results, congratulating Barzaga on her victory and thanking his supporters.
The special election was held on August 29, which was declared a special non-working day in Dasmariñas to allow registered voters to participate.
Dasmariñas City, which comprises the entire 4th District of Cavite, has 447,387 registered voters across 75 barangays.
