Holding the Comelec Accountable

By Herbert Vego

KUDOS to a hitherto unknown CPA/lawyer Jeryll Harold Respicio for coming out with a not-so-good suspicion that the forthcoming May 12, 2025 election could be manipulated online through “backdoor programs” to override the automated counting machines

He had allegedly “demonstrated” before the   Commission on Elections (Comelec) provincial office in Isabela how it could be done but was ignored.

Respicio is an independent candidate for vice-mayor in Reina Mercedes, Isabela.

“Dangerous,” Comelec chair George Erwin Garcia told the media, referring to Respicio’s “misinformation” that could undermine the integrity of the agency.

As we all know now, rather than prove Respicio wrong, Garcia filed a complaint against him with the Manila Prosecutors’ Office last Friday.

It’s for violation of Section 261(z)(11) of Batas Pambansa 881, which prohibits the propagation of false information with the intent to disrupt the election process.

Garcia’ panicky move has only further emboldened Respicio to sustain his accusation in both streamline and online media.

In fact, long before him, three IT experts who call themselves “TNTrio” had filed a mandamus case asking the Supreme Court to order the Comelec to preserve all data records and transmission logs supporting the vote count in the May 9, 2022 Philippine elections.

The three believe that President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and Vice President Sara Duterte could not have won with 31 million and 32 million votes, respectively, if there were no computer manipulation.

TNTrio is a group of three information technology (IT) experts, namely Augusto “Gus” Lagman, a former  Comelec commissioner; Eliseo Rio, Jr., former secretary of the-Department of Information and Communications Technology; and Franklin Ysaac, former president of the Financial Executives Institute of the Philippines (Finex).

Unfortunately, in December 2024, the Supreme Court underscored that a writ of mandamus may not compel the Commission on Elections (COMELEC) to exercise its discretion in a certain way, such as granting or denying a request to open and recount ballot boxes.

Well, let us hope Respicio, who claims to be an IT expert, could debunk the case filed against him. Otherwise, he could be disqualified as a candidate for vice-mayor.

One recalls of precedent where the Comelec disqualified former Caloocan City congressman Edgar Erice from running to reclaim his old post come May 12 for supposedly propagating false information.

Erice had previously accused the Comelec of rigging the bidding process for the P18-billion contract in favor of Korean-based firm Miru instead of the perennial poll technology provider Smartmatic in exchange for bribe money.

Fortunately for Erice, on January 14 this year, the Supreme Court issued a temporary restraining order (TRO) against his disqualification as a candidate for Caloocan City’s 2nd District representative in the May 2025 elections.

Hello, Garcia.

-oOo-

HARVEST FESTIVAL GETS BOOST FROM MORE POWER

MORE Power has once again demonstrated its corporate social responsibility by launching the Harvest Festival for its 5^th anniversary of operation as the city’s power-distribution utility. in collaboration with the Iloilo City government.

MORE Power has successfully sponsored the cultivation of 15 planting plots that are now growing vegetables such as lettuce, pechay, bok choy, eggplant, ampalaya, and okra. The goal is to enhance food security through modern farming techniques.

Kudos to MORE Power Vice President for Marketing and Corporate Affairs, Maricris Cabalhin, and City Agriculturist Iñigo Garingalao for spearheading the Harvest Festival.

The festival is in line with MORE Power President Roel Castro’s commitment to promotion of sustainable initiatives.

Castro is aware that Mayor Treñas has prioritized urban farming as our best defense against hunger. Without hunger, the poor may not worry about staying alive and kicking.

Urban gardening is the life-saving part of the mayor’s Ediscape (edible landscaping) program, which aims to provide food security and healthier food options. The program, initiated in 12 barangays, includes hands-on training for community gardening.