MANILA — Reina Mercedes, Isabela vice mayor candidate Jeryll Harold Respicio filed a rejoinder at the Manila City Prosecutor's Office on the cyberlibel complaint filed by the Commission on Elections (Comelec). 

The rap stemmed from his claims in a video uploaded on social media that the automated counting machines (ACMs) for the 2025 polls could supposedly be manipulated.

Comelec files cyber libel rap vs. Isabela candidate

In his five-page reply, Respicio maintained that Comelec’s Resolution No. 11098 should explicitly say that the ACMs are not connected to the internet on election day except after the election returns have been printed.  

“With one explicit instruction in the Automated Counting Machine (ACM) Procedures, Election Boards would have firm guidance: keep the machines offline at the start of polling and reconnect only when the ERs are printed and ready for transmission,” he said.

“This would free them from fear of violating the rules,” he added. 

However, in an interview following the filing, the vice mayoral bet also claimed that the Comelec clarified its position and released an updated version of the resolution, which he said was “good news”’

“Nakalagay doon na saka mo lamang ita-transmit ‘yung USB modem for internet at ethernet para sa Starlink routers kapag na-print na ‘yung election returns at kapag magta-transmit na ng data papunta sa mga servers,” Respicio said.

The update signals an instruction to election boards that they should ensure that the ACMs are not connected to the internet before the polling starts, according to Respicio. 

“Doon lang nila in-explain sa kanilang reply. Sana mas maliwanag nga si Chairman George Garcia sa kanyang mga paliwanag nung nakaraan. Kung meron man akong pagkakamali sa interpretation ng rules as updated na nilabas nila, ako po ay humihingi ng patawad sa kanya,” he said. 

Respicio said he hoped his case would soon be submitted for resolution. 

The poll body 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. 

On its observations on the issues raised by Respicio, the National Citizens’ Movement for Free Elections (NAMFREL) said last month that the Comelec resolution “sufficiently shows that the ACM will not be connected to the internet during the voting period but after the first batch of election returns has been printed”.

However, to dispel any doubt, it also recommended to the Comelec to include a provision that explicitly instructs the Electoral Board “not to connect the ACM to the internet until after the first batch of nine (9) copies of the election returns shall have been printed and the ACM is ready to transmit the election returns to designated servers”.

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