Comelec suspends proclamation of Isabela lawyer who `can hack system’

INQUIRER FILES

REINA MERCEDES, Isabela – Despite winning the vice mayoral race in this town, lawyer-accountant Jeryll Harold Respicio’s proclamation was suspended on Tuesday, May 13 , by the Commission on Elections (Comelec) due to a pending disqualification case filed by the commission itself.

Respicio garnered 6,042 votes, defeating his half-brother Anthony “Bong” Respicio, who received 5,456 votes. A third candidate, Boy Baua, got 2,006 votes.

In a video posted publicly, Respicio denounced the suspension of his proclamation, insisting that the “people of Reina Mercedes have spoken” and that Comelec should respect the “mandate” given by the electorate.

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The disqualification case stems from a complaint filed by Comelec on February 28, citing videos allegedly posted by Respicio on Facebook in which he claimed he could manipulate the results of the upcoming elections through a supposed “backroom program” capable of altering vote counts.

Comelec said Respicio’s statements violated Article 154 of the Revised Penal Code in relation to Section 6 of the Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012. Article 154 penalizes the publication of false information that may endanger public order or incite panic, including the unlawful use of digital platforms to spread misinformation.

Despite Respicio’s claims, Comelec clarified that there has been no discrepancy or mismatch in the system. The hash codes shown in Respicio’s video, it added, were consistent with those published on the official Comelec website and matched accurately. INQ / MR