THE Commission on Elections (Comelec) filed a cyber libel complaint on Friday before the Manila City Prosecutor’s Office against a vice-mayoral candidate in Isabela province over a video allegedly demonstrating how automated counting machines can be hacked.
Comelec Chairman George Garcia personally complained Jeryll Harold Respicio, a lawyer and vice mayoral bet in the town of Reina Mercedes.
Garcia said Respicio posted a video on social media on January 25, allegedly claiming that he could manipulate vote-counting machines and that there were backroom programs capable of altering election results.
“Meron siyang mga video na sinasabi niya na kaya daw niyang manipulahin ang ating mga vote-counting machines, meron daw mga backroom program na kayang gawan ng paraan ang eleksyon,” Garcia told media.
Comelec reassured the public that its electoral system and vote-counting machines for the 2025 National and Local Elections (NLE) are safe against hacking, emphasizing that recorded votes can always be verified against the actual ballots.