Glitches marred Philippine midterm elections; probe begins

Malfunctioning voting machines and other glitches marred the 2025 midterm elections, prompting calls for a thorough investigation into the new automated system. These issues led to delays and concerns about voter disenfranchisement. Numerous reports detailed problems with the new automated counting machines, including ballot rejections and inaccurate vote tallies. International observers noted these failures disenfranchised voters, raising questions about election integrity. The Commission on Elections is under pressure to explain the issues, especially given the upcoming 2028 presidential election. The new system, provided by Miru Systems, replaced the previous Smartmatic machines.