Manila: The Cybercrime Investigation and Coordinating Center (CICC) on Tuesday assured that there are several layers of security protecting the automated election system (AES), as it warned against 'false prophets' who claim to be able to alter the May 12 elections.

According to Philippines News Agency, CICC Executive Director Alexander Ramos stated that the AES is safeguarded by three layers of security. One significant measure is that the AES machines are locked and cannot be altered once programmed. Additionally, the election transmission process is scheduled and employs a seven-layer encryption before the results are received by a consolidation server. This server is programmed to accept only encrypted files, with the key securely kept in the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP).

Ramos explained that encrypted files pass through a seven-layer security system. The receiving end will only receive packets of data approximately 220kb in size from registered IP addresses and devices within its system. This statement was issued in response to allegations made by Reina Mercedes, Isabela vice mayoral candidate Jeryll Harold Respicio, who claimed in a video that he could manipulate vote-counting machines. Respicio also suggested the existence of backroom programs capable of altering election results.

Ramos dismissed these claims, stating, "He is completely clueless. His theories are far-fetched and offer misleading information. His insinuations differ from the standards of review in the industry of cybersecurity." In response to these allegations, on February 28, Commission on Elections (Comelec) Chair George Garcia filed a cyber libel complaint against Respicio at the Office of the City Prosecutor in Manila. The complaint accuses Respicio of violating Article 154 of the Revised Penal Code concerning Section 6 of Republic Act (RA) No. 10175, also known as the Cybercrime Prevention Act.