Clarifying the Rosales poll controversy
The resolution filed by Pangasinan 6th District Rep. Marlyn Primicias-Agabas seeking a congressional inquiry into the controversial vice mayoral election ruling in Rosales deserves serious attention. At stake is not merely a local political contest but the credibility of the country’s automated election system.
Branch 53 of the Regional Trial Court in Rosales overturned the original results of the May 2025 elections that proclaimed Vice Mayor John Isaac Kho the winner by a margin of 1,208 votes over incumbent Susan Casareno. Following an election protest and manual examination of the ballots, Presiding Judge Roselyn Andrada-Borja declared Casareno the rightful winner, ruling that the automated counting machines (ACMs) failed to accurately read and count the votes.
Such a conclusion inevitably raises troubling questions. The automated system, using machines supplied by MIRU Solutions of South Korea, was designed precisely to eliminate doubts about accuracy and transparency. Comelec Chairman George Garcia himself has maintained that the automated elections achieved near-perfect accuracy. If a court ruling now suggests otherwise, the public is left to wonder whether the problem is isolated or symptomatic of a broader weakness in the system.
Representative Agabas is correct in pointing out that the implications extend far beyond Rosales. If automated counting machines indeed misread ballots in one municipality, then voters elsewhere may also question whether their votes were counted correctly. Confidence in elections rests not only on legal decisions but also on public trust in the process.
The recent cease-and-desist order issued by the Commission on Elections, which temporarily stopped the enforcement of the court’s November 24, 2025 decision and prevented Casareno from assuming office, underscores the seriousness of the dispute. The conflicting positions of the RTC and the Comelec highlight the need for clarity and finality.
A congressional inquiry, if conducted objectively and free from partisan motives, can help determine whether the issue stems from machine accuracy, ballot handling, recount procedures, or judicial interpretation. The goal should not be to favor one candidate over another but to protect the integrity of the electoral system.
Ultimately, the Rosales controversy presents an opportunity to strengthen public confidence in automated elections. The Filipino voter deserves assurance that every ballot is read correctly and every mandate faithfully upheld. Until these questions are fully answered, doubts about the reliability of the electoral process will persist — and that is a risk the country cannot afford.