Who is Harold Respicio?

A video of Reina Mercedes, Isabela Vice Mayor Harold Respicio confronting barangay officials over uncompleted projects for tobacco farmers has recently went viral on social media.

Expressing dismay over the vice mayor's behavior during the meeting, Interior and Local Government Secretary Jonvic Remulla on Wednesday said he wanted Respicio to undergo a drug test.

But who is Harold Respicio?

The vice mayor, whose full name is Jeryll Harold Respicio, was born on March 30, 1988, in Quezon City, according to his certificate of candidacy for the 2025 elections.

According to his law firm's website, Respicio earned a Bachelor of Science in Accountancy degree from De La Salle University and passed the Certified Public Accountant (CPA) licensure examination in 2008.

Respicio later obtained his Juris Doctor or law degree from Ateneo de Manila University and passed the Philippine Bar Examination in 2015.

Before entering politics, Respicio worked as a CPA-lawyer, with experience in taxation, accounting, financial consulting and information systems auditing.

He is among the lawyers at Respicio & Co. Law Firm, where he handles litigation, tax, corporate, regulatory, cybercrime, election technology, real estate, labor, family, estate, immigration and other sensitive dispute-related matters, according to the firm's website.

Respicio first sought elective office in the 2022 elections, when he ran as an independent candidate for representative of Isabela's 2nd District.

He lost to Ed Christopher Go, the incumbent representative of Isabela's 2nd District, who was seeking reelection under the Nacionalista Party.

In the 2025 elections, Respicio ran for vice mayor of Reina Mercedes and won.

His proclamation, however, was temporarily suspended over a disqualification case filed before the Commission on Elections (COMELEC) involving his Facebook posts about alleged vulnerabilities in automated counting machines and a supposed "backroom program."

The COMELEC First Division later lifted the suspension, allowing his proclamation to proceed.

As vice mayor, Respicio serves as the presiding officer of the Sangguniang Bayan of Reina Mercedes.

Respicio has also faced other complaints and legal challenges over statements he made publicly.

These include complaints before the Cybercrime Investigation and Coordinating Center (CICC) and the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) over alleged inciting to sedition or rebellion linked to his statements about a "revolution" in May this year.

Respicio has defended himself, saying his statements could not be considered incitement to sedition.

On Wednesday, Respicio responded promptly to Remulla's call and underwent a drug test at St. Luke's Medical Center–Quezon City, posting on social media the official receipt for the procedure.

"Secretary Jonvic, magpa-drug test tayo now. Live! Exclusive! Samahan mo ako sa St. Luke's, now! Today! Tignan natin kung nagdru-drugs si Atty. Harold Respicio," he said.

(Secretary Jonvic, let's take a drug test now. Live! Exclusive! Join me at St. Luke's, now! Today! Let's see if Atty. Harold Respicio is on drugs.)

He later complained about the supposed high cost of the drug test.

"Jonvic, i-refund mo ako. Ang mahal ng drug test (Jonvic, refund me. Drug tests are expensive)," he said.— MCG, GMA News