Cosplay Fan Service Photos Used in Ethics Complaint Against Cavite Rep. Kiko Barzaga

Updated: 7:00pm (GMT+8) September 18, 2025 Cavite's 4th District House Representative Francisco “Kiko” Austria Barzaga came into public light within the cosplay community after his former party, the National Unity Party (NUP), filed an ethics complaint against him, presenting images of the lawmaker receiving “fan service” from cosplayers as evidence on the abuse of women on September 15, Tuesday.

During the hearing, Deputy Speaker Ronaldo Puno called out Barzaga for acts such as sedition against the government and for making malicious comments and posting images deemed offensive to women.

Photo courtesy of the House of Representatives, September 15, 2025.

Puno argued that Barzaga’s actions undermine his role as a government official.

"Yan ba ang kilos ng matinong congressman, yan ba papayagan natin... You know this is out in social media and it demeans women and it offends me," Puno cited.

(“Is this the actions of a proper Congressman, you know this is out on social media and it demeans women and it offends me.”)

Barzaga, who has been active in the cosplay and pop culture community, frequently posts images on his Facebook page showing him being headlocked or “fan service” by cosplayers at conventions. These activities are typically offered by cosplayers as add-ons during meet-and-greet sessions, often for an additional fee.

He defended the accusations of posting lewd images in an interview with Ogie Diaz, released on September 17, saying such practices are permitted by organizers and are a part of Japanese cosplay culture. Barzaga also commented that the photos of him receiving fan service are photos from before he became a house representative.

"Yon kasi, cosplay events ‘yon. And in Japanese culture, they have yung mga kabedon and leg-lock na nakikita mo sa anime and in that event, they allow that, the organizers allow that. Parang fan service siya, in exchange for money para magpapicture ka with the cosplayer na nakaganon kayo," Barzaga mentioned in the interview.

(“Those are cosplay events and in Japanese culture, they have the Kabedon and Leg-Locking which you would see in anime. In that event, they allow that, the organizers allow that. Since it's like Fan-Service in exchange for money and you would get a picture for doing it.”)

Two cosplayers who provided fan service to the House representative also shared their remarks on the case and Barzaga’s interview with Ogie Diaz.

Sowon, a cosplayer who caters her content toward older male audiences, responded to the issue after her photos resurfaced involving Barzaga on September 18:

Sowon's Facebook post regarding the involvement of cosplayers like her on Kiko Barzaga's ethics complaint with an attached photo of her and Barzaga being head-locked, Posted on September 18.

The image which illustrates Barzaga being headlocked as part of a paid fan service by Sowon which has resurfaced after the filing of an ethics complaint was first published on December 29, 2024 during the politician's attendance on a cosplay event.

"I honestly don’t know what to feel anymore. I’ve seen some fellow cosplayers complaining about how my face wasn’t blurred in certain posts related to the current issue involving a particular politician. But at the same time, some are sharing old videos and photos of other cosplayers who previously did fan service with that same person, and in many cases, those posts are also uncensored," Sowon stated in her Facebook post.

Pomponmy, another cosplayer who engaged in fan service with Barzaga, called out Ogie Diaz regarding the publication of her uncensored photo on his channel.

During an interview with Red Mendoza of The Manila Times on Tuesday, September 16, the politician gave clarifications on his activities at conventions, defending that the actions are within legal limits and that the photos have been misinterpreted.

"Kasi si Congressman Puno is a little older than me… na hindi niya naiintindihan na there’s a different culture amongst the youth and since he misinterpreted that I cannot attribute any malice to it. I hope after all this ends I can still be good friends with Chairman Puno," Barzaga said.

(“Congressman Puno is a little older than me… he does not fully understand that there is a different culture among the youth, and since he misinterpreted that, I cannot attribute any malice to it. I hope that after all this ends, I can still be good friends with Chairman Puno.”)

Barzaga later on apologized to cosplayers who might have been affected by the issue concerning his private life and said he intends to file a countercomplaint with those involved.