Isabela town vice mayor surrenders after warrant issued over Comelec case

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.

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

“Ito ay isang process para hindi ka na hulihin at hindi ka na i-commit sa loob ng jail,” he said.

Comelec chairman George Garcia filed the complaint against Respicio in late February for supposedly violating the Cybercrime Prevention Act.

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.

Respicio's camp will process his P64,000 bail, he said. 

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On Tuesday, Respicio insisted that what he said about the ACMs was not "untrue."

“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.

The Comelec earlier said that the automated election system has safeguards and that the machines are secure.

It also reiterated that the ACMs are standalone and are not connected to the internet during voting.

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