Jennifer Barzaga wins Cavite 4th District special election, succeeds expelled son

Dasmariñas City Mayor Jennifer “Jenny” Austria-Barzaga has won the special election for representative of Cavite’s 4th Legislative District, reclaiming a congressional seat vacated by her son, former Rep. Francisco “Kiko” Barzaga.

Barzaga was proclaimed the winner early Sunday after obtaining 201,893 votes in Saturday’s special election, according to the District Board of Canvassers.

Former Dasmariñas vice mayor Raul Rex Mangubat finished a distant second with 30,373 votes, followed by Jacinto Frani Jr. with 24,350, Marvin Dupal-Ag with 1,184 and Leysander Ordenes with 561.

Of the district’s 447,387 registered voters, 258,361 cast ballots, producing a 57.75% voter turnout despite heavy rains that affected Dasmariñas and other parts of Cavite.

The Commission on Elections extended voting hours by two hours, from the scheduled 3 p.m. closing time to 5 p.m., because of inclement weather. Early voting for vulnerable sectors was held from 5 a.m. to 7 a.m.

Barzaga was proclaimed at about 3:30 a.m. Sunday at the City of Dasmariñas Arena.

Her victory came less than three months after the House of Representatives expelled her son from Congress.

The House voted to remove Francisco Barzaga from office on June 2, 2026 after finding him liable for disorderly behavior, conduct unbecoming of a member and violations of the House Code of Conduct. The expulsion followed previous suspensions imposed on the lawmaker.

The younger Barzaga had served as representative of the 4th District since 2025. His expulsion created a vacancy that prompted Comelec to schedule the special election.

Five candidates competed for the seat, with Jennifer Barzaga filing her candidacy on the final day of the filing period. Her candidacy effectively put the congressional post back in the hands of the Barzaga family.

Mangubat conceded the race during the evening as partial and unofficial results showed Barzaga holding a commanding lead.

“The elections are over, and the decision of our constituents is clear,” Mangubat said in conceding defeat, according to reports. He congratulated Barzaga and thanked his supporters.

The election also marks another transfer of political power within the Barzaga family.

Under the rules on local succession, Barzaga’s departure from the mayoralty is expected to pave the way for Vice Mayor Elpidio “Thirdy” Barzaga III, her son and Kiko’s older brother, to assume the mayoralty. The city’s highest-ranking councilor is then expected to take over as vice mayor.

The Barzagas have maintained a dominant political presence in Dasmariñas for nearly three decades.

The family’s political influence in the city dates back to 1998, when Elpidio “Pidi” Barzaga Jr. first became mayor. He later served as the city’s congressional representative, while Jennifer Barzaga has held both the mayoralty and congressional seat at different periods.

The 4th Legislative District, created in 2009, consists entirely of Dasmariñas City.

Barzaga’s victory means the congressional seat remains with the family despite the circumstances that forced the special election.

Commission on Elections Chairman George Erwin Garcia said the election was conducted peacefully and orderly despite the weather.

He praised voters for turning out despite the heavy rainfall, noting that the turnout exceeded the 50% participation level that election officials had hoped to achieve.

Barzaga is expected to assume her new congressional post while the city prepares for a transition in its local leadership.

Her election victory closes one chapter in the controversy surrounding her son’s expulsion — while opening another chapter in the Barzaga family’s long political hold over Dasmariñas.