Isabela vice mayor facing sedition raps

MANILA, Philippines — A municipal vice mayor in Isabela is facing charges for allegedly making seditious remarks.

The Cybercrime Investigation and Coordinating Center (CICC) yesterday filed charges of inciting to sedition, inciting to rebellion and unlawful use of means of publication and utterances against Jeryll Harold Respicio of Reina Mercedes town before the National Bureau of Investigation.

The NBI has issued a subpoena to Respicio.

NBI Director Melvin Matibag said that Respicio may face disbarment over his remarks.

CICC executive director Renato Paraiso said the lawsuit was discussed during his meeting with the Presidential Communications Office, particularly about monitoring of social media activities that urge Filipinos to rise against the government and “make violence.”

“This is the threshold when their rights of expression cross the boundaries of inciting to sedition, inciting to rebellion and cybercrimes,” Paraiso said at a briefing yesterday. “This is not an attempt to take away the rights of our countrymen of their freedom of expression.”

Matibag cited a video posted on Respicio’s social media account on May 17, which is among the pieces of evidence included in the complaint.

The video showed Respicio asking his audience if they were ready for a revolution and willing to sacrifice their lives for Vice President Sara Duterte.