 Barbers was a strong advocate of the death penalty for capital offenders.In the 2004 elections, Barbers ran for reelection as senator under the Lakas CMD banner, but lost.He filed an election protest against Senator Rodolfo Biazon to contest the 12th slot, accusing the Commission on Elections of haste in proclaiming the latter's victory and demanding that the poll body await the election results in his strongholds in Mindanao.