Bets must declare expenses by June 8

BAGUIO CITY, Philippines – Candidates have only until June 8 to file their Statement of Campaign Contributions and Expenditures (SOCE), the Commission on Elections (Comelec) said yesterday.

Baguio City election supervisor John Paul Martin reminded candidates of their obligation to file their SOCE for assessment and evaluation of their compliance with existing election laws, rules and regulations.

He warned that winning candidates would not be allowed to take their oath of office by the end of June if they do not comply with the requirement of submitting their SOCE. Losing candidates also face fines for non-compliance.

SOCE forms are available at local Comelec offices.

Martin said the poll body still has to subject the SOCEs to further validation, evaluation and assessment to find out whether candidates overspent.

In the May 2013 midterm elections, seven winning and non-winning candidates for the various elective positions in Baguio City were fined by the Comelec campaign finance division for failing to submit their SOCE during the prescribed 30-day grace period after the polls.

The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) reminded elected local government officials to submit their SOCE before they assume office on June 30.

Interior Secretary Mel Senen Sarmiento called on all elected governors; mayors; vice mayors; members of provincial, city and town councils; and governor of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) to file their SOCE by June 8 and submit to the DILG a certification on SOCE compliance by June 17.

For this year’s elections, there were 18,069 national and local executives elected, including the president, vice president, 12 senators, 58 party-list representatives and 235 district congressmen.

Of the 18,069 posts, the local government posts include 81 governors, 81 vice governors and 772 members of provincial councils.

Also at stake are 144 posts for city mayors, 144 city vice mayors, 1,610 city councilors, 1,490 municipal mayors, 1,490 municipal vice mayor and 11,924 municipal councilors.

There were also posts in the ARMM for governor, vice governor and 24 assemblymen.

Citing Republic Act 7166, otherwise known as “Synchronized National and Local Elections and for Electoral Reforms Act,” Sarmiento said “no person elected to any public office shall enter or assume the duties of his office until he has filed the SOCE.”

“Every candidate and treasurer of the political party shall, within 30 days after the day of the election, file in duplicate with the offices of the Comelec the full, true and itemized statement of all contributions and expenditures in connection with the election,” said Sarmiento.

The secretary also said the department and the Comelec have also forged a memorandum of agreement in 2012 that authorizes the DILG or any of its attached agencies to require all winning candidates to present a certification from the Comelec that they have satisfactorily complied with their obligation under RA 7166.

“In the absence of this certification, the winning candidate cannot enter into the execution of his or her office pursuant to paragraph 2 of the same provision of the law,” Sarmiento said.

Winning governors, vice governors and Sangguniang Panlalawigan members should submit their Comelec certifications to their DILG provincial directors.

The city mayors, city vice mayors and Sangguniang Panlungsod members should submit the documents to their DILG city directors while municipal mayors, municipal vice mayors and Sangguniang Bayan members should submit to the DILG municipal officers.

For the newly elected local government officials who will be filing their SOCE for the first time and for those who have further questions about this mandate, they can get in touch with the DILG at (02)925-0351 or (02)928-9181 or email [email protected]. – With Cecille Suerte Felipe