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GMA Network
5 days ago
- Politics
- GMA Network
Isabela vice mayor-elect surrenders to court amid arrest warrant for cybercrime complaint
Isabela Vice Mayor-elect Jeryll Harold Respicio voluntarily surrendered at a Manila Court on Tuesday in relation to the cybercrime charges filed against him by the Commission on Elections (Comelec). Respicio arrived at the Manila Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 34 after learning of a signed arrest warrant against him for allegedly violating Article 134 of the Revised Penal Code (RPC). 'Meron na pong pirmadong warrant ang Court sa Branch 34, kaya ako nag-voluntary surrender,' Respicio told reporters. (We learned there is a signed warrant of arrest here in Branch 34, so we voluntarily surrendered.) 'Ito po ay isang process para hindi ka na hulihin at hindi ka na i-commit sa loob ng jail, pwede ka mag-voluntary surrender at magbayad ng bail,' he said. (This is a process where they will no longer arrest us and commit us to jail.) Comelec, through Task Force Katotohanan, Katapatan at Katarungan (KKK) sa Halalan, filed cybercrime charges against Respicio in February over his social media videos allegedly saying he can manipulate the automated counting machines (ACMs) for Eleksyon 2025. The lawyer likewise claimed there were backdoor programs for the manipulation of the ACMs and supposedly demonstrated how to exploit the election results in one of his videos. 'Magpo-post kami ng bail today. Dalawa po, P32,000 kada isang kaso. Dalawang video kasi yun,' the Respicio said. (We will post bail today. That would be P32,000 for each of the counts of the case.) Respicio maintained that his social media videos were not 'untrue,' as he claimed the poll body 'adhered' to his appeal to include a provision in its elections resolution prohibiting the ACMs from being connected to the internet before and during the printing of the election returns. 'Asahan nyo po mga kababayan na lalaban tayo hanggang sa huli. Hanggang sa ang katotohanan ay lumabas at magpapatuloy si Atty. Harold Respicio na ilabas ang lahat... Hanggang mailabas natin ang lahat ng pagkukulang ng Comelec sa nangyaring elections nitong 2025 para sa susunod na election sa 2028, hindi na ito uli mangyayari,' he added. (I will fight until the end, until the truth comes out and we unearth all the shortcomings of the Comelec this election and prevent a repeat of them in the 2028 polls.) Comelec Comelec Chair George Garcia previously slammed Respicio's claims, saying the respondent might have a 'misunderstanding or non-understanding' of the process of transmitting of election returns. 'Mukhang ang kaniyang understanding, magta-transmit agad ang bawat makina tapos after ng transmission, 'tsaka magp-print ng election returns. Baliktad po. Election returns muna bago ang transmission,' said Garcia. (He might have a misunderstanding of the process. The election returns will be printed before its transmission.) 'Ibig sabihin, bago mag-transmit alam na ng lahat ang boto sa bawat presinto. Paano mo siya maha-hack? Paano mo mababago? Paano mo mapapakialamanan ang results kung ganitong alam na ng lahat…kung ano ang results?' he added. (This means that the results will be issued before the transmission. How will he hack or change that when everyone knows the votes?) —VAL, GMA Integrated News For more Eleksyon 2025 related content and updates, visit GMA News Online's Eleksyon 2025 microsite.
GMA Network
10-06-2025
- Entertainment
- GMA Network
Pura Luka Vega acquitted by Manila RTC
Pura Luka Vega, also known as Amadeus Fernando Pagente, has been acquitted by the Manila Regional Trial Court. In a 20-page decision dated June 10, the Manila RTC Branch 184 acquitted the artist of charges of violating Article 201 (2)(b)(3) and (2)(b)(5) of the Revised Penal Code in relation to the Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012 (RA 10175). Article 201 penalizes "immoral doctrines, obscene publications and exhibitions, and indecent shows." Judge Czarina Samonte-Villanueva penned the decision. 'Wherefore, premises considered, for failure of the prosecution to establish guilt beyond reasonable doubt, Amadeus Fernando Pagente, also known as Pura Luka Vega, is hereby acquitted for violation Article 201 (2)(b)(3) and (2)(b)(5) of the Revised Penal Code, in relation to Republic Act 10175," the ruling read. On X (formerly Twitter), Pura Luka Vega also shared this part of the ruling and said 'Thank you for this wonderful news." "One more case left. Laban lang,' the drag artist added. Thank you for this wonderful news. ???? One more case left. Laban lang. ???????? — Pura Luka Vega ???? (@puralukavega) June 10, 2025 In its ruling, the Manila court said, 'Though the prosecution fell short of the required quantum of proof in the prosecution of the criminal case, the Court takes this opportunity to remind Pura Luka to be circumspect in his choice of medium or subject of his performances as a drag artist taking into account the society he belongs to. It is basic in the concept of social coexistence." 'This is not to curtail his freedom or rights nor to regulate his acts to belong to a presumed majority but more to be compassionate on the community as a whole, especially with the accessibility of social media which makes it easy to record, upload and circulate materials which are readily available for consumption of the public," it added. The court also ordered the release of the bond amounting to P72,000 that Pura Luka Vega posted for their provisional liberty. In August 2023, the Hijos Del Nazareno, devotees of the Black Nazarene, filed a complaint against Pura Luka Vega over their viral "Ama Namin" drag performance, while dressed in Jesus Christ's likeness back in July 2023. In their complaint, the group said the artist's "acts and actuations constitute a direct attack on our Lord, our God and savior, Jesus Christ." In an exclusive interview with GMA News Online in July 2023, the artist said that their "intent was to embody a version of Christ that is one with the queer audience."In August 2023, In October of that year, Luka was arrested after complaints were filed against them due to the same viral performance. They were also declared persona non grata in various cities like Manila, Cebu City, General Santos City, Laguna, and many more. Their fellow drag artists mounted a fundraising show to help with the bail and raised P892,975.60 in donations. Luka was released on bail after three days in jail. In December 2023, Luka celebrated the dismissal of "at least one" case filed against them.—Nika Roque/CDC/VBL, GMA Integrated News
