ILAGAN CITY—The Commission on Elections (COMELEC) First Division has directed the municipal board of canvassers in Reina Mercedes, Isabela province, to convene again and declare lawyer-accountant Jeryll Harold Respicio as the legitimate vice mayor within five days from when they receive the directive issued on June 2.
Following the lifting of Respicio’s proclamation suspension by Commissioners Aimee Ferolino, Ernesto Ferdinand Maceda Jr., and Maria Norina Tangaro-Casingal, the decision was reached post the stay being imposed because of an ongoing disqualification case initiated by Comelec.
Respisco's declaration was initially put on hold on May 13, even though he secured the most votes in the vice mayor election. He obtained 6,042 votes, surpassing his half-brother Anthony "Bong" Respicio, who garnered 5,456 votes.
‘Backroom program’
After the suspension, Respicio condemned Comelec’s move, stating that the residents of Reina Mercedes had already decided.
"The people have spoken," he stated previously on Facebook, emphasizing that the electoral mandate must be respected and not "reversed" by the commission.
The case for disqualification originated from a complaint submitted by Comelec on February 28. The complaint was regarding videos reportedly uploaded by Respicio on Facebook where he purportedly stated that he had the ability to alter the election outcomes through what he called a "backroom program."
The Comelec charged Respicio with breaching Article 154 of the Revised Penal Code, which connects to Section 6 of the Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012. This article pertains to the illegal utilization of publications containing misleading data capable of disrupting public order. The commission based their accusation on the spread of fake reports and cyber libel.
Nevertheless, the electoral commission stated clearly that no inconsistencies or disparities in the election outcomes were detected. They verified that the hash values featured in the disputed video align with those published in the official statement on the Comelec website. INQ