MANILA – The Makabayan bloc filed House Resolution No. 2291 calling for a congressional investigation into what they described as an “anomalous” Automated Election System (AES) and other election-related irregularities during the 2025 national and local midterm elections.

Kabataan Partylist Rep. Raoul Manuel, ACT-Teachers Party-list France Castro and Gabriela Women’s Partylist Rep. Arlene Brosas filed the resolution on May 26. 

The Makabayan bloc cited the reports of independent electoral watchdog networks and advocates Kontra Daya, Vote Report PH, National Movement for Free Elections (NAMFREL), and Computer Professionals Union (CPU).

Kontra Daya and Vote Report PH documented various violations including vote-buying, illegal campaigning, misuse of public funds. Among these were the use of financial assistance like AKAP for vote-buying and intimidation through red-tagging.

They also documented reports of disenfranchisement, malfunctioning machines, or ballot rejection, and over 18 million rejected votes due to alleged “overvoting.”

“Beyond technical issues and voter disenfranchisement on election day itself, there have been other election-related issues before, during and after the elections that have marred the integrity and credibility of the election results,” the resolution read. 

CPU also identified glaring technical issues that compromised the integrity of the AES, and that has raised concerns regarding accuracy and reliability of the election results.

In an earlier study of Kontra Daya, the partylist system that supposedly aims to represent marginalized groups has been taken over by the political dynasties, military and police forces, and big businesses. (AMU, DAA)