Jauhn Etienne Villaruel

Article (news)

Job Manahan

ABS-CBN News

<p>MANILA — Reina Mercedes, Isabela vice mayor-elect Jeryll Harold Respicio on Tuesday surrendered to the Manila Regional Trial Court (RTC) in relation to a cyber-libel complaint filed by the Commission on Elections (Comelec) over his controversial remarks earlier this year.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/regions/2025/6/2/comelec-division-oks-proclamation-of-isabela-town-vice-mayor-1242">Comelec division OKs proclamation of Isabela town vice mayor</a></div><p>Respicio said there was already a warrant of arrest against him issued by RTC Branch 34, prompting him to surrender.</p><p>“Ito ay isang process para hindi ka na hulihin at hindi ka na i-commit sa loob ng jail,” he said.</p><p>Comelec chairman George Garcia filed the complaint against Respicio in late February for supposedly violating the Cybercrime Prevention Act.</p><p>This, after Respicio in January shared a video on his social media claiming that the automated counting machines used for this year’s midterm elections could be hacked if it is connected to the internet.</p><p>Respicio&#x27;s camp will process his P64,000 bail, he said. </p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/4/24/isabela-bet-responds-to-cyber-libel-rap-over-election-hacking-claims-1552">Isabela bet responds to cyber libel rap over election hacking claims</a></div><p>On Tuesday, Respicio insisted that what he said about the ACMs was not &quot;untrue.&quot;</p><p>“Hindi untrue yung sinabi ko na pwede ma-hack ang ating automated counting machines kapag connected sa internet. Sa totoo nga, sinunod naman ng Comelec ang aking suggestion. Gumawa nga sila ng policy na huwag i-connect ang mga makina sa internet noong araw ng election,” he said.</p><p>The Comelec earlier said that the automated election system has safeguards and that the machines are secure.</p><p>It also reiterated that the ACMs are standalone and are not connected to the internet during voting.</p><div><strong>RELATED VIDEO: </strong></div><div><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/mXebpAIyPI0?&amp;embeds_referring_euri=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.abs-cbn.com%2F&amp;source_ve_path=MjM4NTE&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><br/></div>

<p>Respicio said there was already a warrant of arrest against him issued by RTC Branch 34, prompting him to surrender.</p>

Respicio said there was already a warrant of arrest against him issued by RTC Branch 34, prompting him to surrender.

Isabela town vice mayor surrenders after warrant issued over Comelec case

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Isabela town vice mayor surrenders after warrant issued over Comelec case

Job Manahan,

ABS-CBN News

Published Jun 17, 2025 02:58 PM PHT

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Comelec

Commission on Elections

Halalan 2025

Harold Respicio

cybercrime

automated counting machines

crime

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