Candidates told: File SOCE on time

CEBU, Philippines —  The Commission on Elections has reminded all candidates in the last May 9 elections to submit their statements of election contribution and expenditures (SOCE) on or before June 8 as mandate by the Omnibus Election Code.

The poll body has also warned the candidates---winning or losing—that failure to file the required SOCE on time will have legal consequences.

As public servants, transparency and accountability are expected of all those who ran during the last national and local elections. The SOCE determines the candidates’ compliance to the expenditure limit.

Under Section 107 of the Omnibus Election Code, every candidate and treasurer of the political party are mandated to file in duplicate with the Comelec full, true and itemized statement of all contributions and expenditures not later than seven days or earlier than 10 days before the election.

Within 30 days after the day of the election, the candidates and party treasurers shall also file in duplicate a supplemental statement of all contributions and expenditures not included in the statement filed prior to the day of the election.

For candidates for President and Vice-President, this will be filed with the Commission, while for members of the Batasang Pambansa, with the provincial election supervisor concerned, except those of candidates in the National Capital Region which shall be filed with the regional election director of the said region while for provincial office it is with the provincial election supervisor concerned.

For candidates for city or municipal offices, it will be with the election registrar concerned.

If a candidate or treasurer of the party has received no contribution, made no expenditure, or has no pending obligation, the statement shall reflect such fact.

Comelec South District Election officer Marilou Paredes said, winning candidates cannot assume his position without filing their SOCE.

“No person elected to any public office shall enter upon the duties of his office until he has filed the statement of contributions and expenditures herein required. The same prohibition shall apply if the political party which nominated the winning candidate fails to file the statement required herein within the period prescribed by this Act,” the election law provides.

“Sa winning, they cannot enter their position without filing their SOCE,” said Paredes.

For those losing candidates, they will also be disqualified from running again should they fail to comply with this requirement accordingly.

“Sa losing (candidates), they must also file their SOCE kay basin later mo-file pud sila’g candidacy, di na pud sila i-allow for failure to file (SOCE),” said Paredes.

Aside from prohibition from running in the future elections, the Comelec may also file charges against those who will fail to file their SOCE.

Lawyer Jerome Brillantes, acting Cebu provincial election supervisor, said that the offender may be slapped with an administrative fine ranging from P1,000 to P30,000.

“For the commission of a second or subsequent offense under this section, the administrative fine shall be from Two thousand pesos (P2,000.00) to Sixty thousand pesos (P60,000.00), in the discretion of the Commission. In addition, the offender shall be subject to perpetual disqualification to hold public office," read Section 14 of RA 7166 or the law that governs the conduct of synchronized local and national elections. — Caecent No-ot Magsumbol with Decemay Padilla, FPL (FREEMAN)