VICE Mayor John Isaac Kho has secured a reprieve after the Commission on Elections (Comelec) First Division ordered the suspension of the enforcement of a Regional Trial Court (RTC) ruling that nullified his election victory and oath of office.

In an order dated December 5, 2025, the Comelec acted on Kho’s Petition for Certiorari and directed the RTC to halt all actions related to its decisions that favored his opponent, Susan Casareno, pending resolution of the case.

Kho described the Comelec action as “nothing short of a miracle” and his “most treasured Christmas gift,” as it came amid fears that the RTC ruling would be enforced on December 23, as he earlier noted on his Facebook page.

Kho won the vice mayoralty in the May 12, 2025, elections with 20,201 votes against Casareno’s 18,933. However, after a recount ordered by the court and presided over by Judge Roselyn Andrada-Borja, the results were reversed, proclaiming Casareno the winner with 20,705 votes to Kho’s 18,730.

Named respondents in Kho’s petition (PR No. 2025-018) are Casareno and Judge Andrada-Borja, presiding judge of RTC Branch 53 in Rosales.

The Comelec First Division ordered Casareno to file her comment within a non-extendable period of 10 days and directed Judge Andrada-Borja and her subordinates to refrain from implementing the RTC decisions dated November 28 and December 1, 2025, in Election Protest Case No. 2025-001-R.

The poll body also issued a Status Quo Ante Order, directing both parties to maintain the situation prior to the questioned rulings. The order will remain effective for 60 days from issuance.

“The parties are hereby directed to preserve the status quo that prevailed before the filing of the above-stated case,” the Comelec said.

A hearing on the petition is set on January 16, 2026, at 2 p.m. at the Comelec Session Hall in Intramuros, Manila. (Leonardo Micua)