Rosales, Pangasinan Vice Mayor John Isaac Kho has filed an administrative complaint before the Supreme Court’s Judicial Integrity Office against Presiding Judge Roselyn Andrada-Borja of Regional Trial Court Branch 53 in connection with the dispute over the May 2025 vice mayoral election.

The complaint comes amid a Commission on Elections preliminary injunction issued on 18 February 2026 preserving the status quo in the contested race while the matter is under review.

Kho’s complaint followed the court’s reversal of his initial victory over Susan Casareno after a manual recount, despite the Automated Counting Machine originally declaring Kho the winner by 1,208 votes.

In its ruling, the court stated: “The automated counting machines did not accurately read and count the votes cast by the voters. There were complaints by voters that their Voter-Verified Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT) or Printed Voter's Receipt did not match the actual vote they casted.”

Kho’s camp said the move raises concerns about consistency, fairness and adherence to proper judicial procedure in the handling of election protests.

The complaint alleges gross ignorance of the law and procedure, manifest bias and violations of the New Code of Judicial Conduct for the Philippine Judiciary. It cited A.M. No. 01-8-10-SC (Rule 140) and A.M. No. 23-12-05-SC, which enumerate serious charges, including engagement in partisan political activities and failure to observe proper judicial procedure, as possible grounds for administrative sanctions.

Judge Andrada-Borja is among applicants for a justice post in either the Sandiganbayan or the Court of Tax Appeals.

“This is not personal. It is about accountability, adherence to the law, and protecting the integrity of the judicial process,,” Kho’s camp said.

The Comelec injunction issued on 18 February preserves the status quo and prevents the implementation of the court’s ruling in favor of Casareno while the case remains pending.

Kho’s camp added: “The preliminary injunction ensures that these issues are carefully reviewed before any final determination. Public trust in electoral outcomes depends on both accurate vote counting and the impartiality of those who oversee the process.”

The dispute stems from discrepancies between the automated vote count and the subsequent manual recount in Rosales. While ACM results initially declared Kho the winner, the court credited Casareno after a physical recount, prompting Kho to seek legal remedies to review the judicial process involved.

The Judicial Integrity Office will evaluate the complaint and may recommend appropriate action to the Supreme Court.

The filing of an administrative complaint does not constitute a finding of liability. The matter remains under review by the Court.