Overspend probe targets 100 more

MANILA, Philippines - Charges of campaign overspending are set to be filed next week against another batch of some 100 candidates in the 2010 and 2013 elections, Commission on Elections (Comelec) Chairman Sixto Brillantes Jr. said yesterday.

“There are now 100 candidates facing preliminary investigation for campaign overspending. Next week, cases will be filed against 100 more candidates,” he said.

The cases were filed by the Comelec’s Campaign Finance Unit (CFU), which was created to look into the statement of contributions and expenditures (SOCEs) filed by candidates after elections.

As a procedure, candidates found to have spent beyond their campaign limits would charged by CFU before the Comelec’s Law Department which, in turn, would conduct a preliminary investigation.

If it finds a probable case, the law department will then recommend to the Comelec in full session the filing of election offense case against the concerned candidates.

Asked about the identities of the violators, Brillantes said there is no senator among them but there are losing and winning congressmen, governors and local bets.

At present, the first batch of 100 bets in the 2010 and 2013 polls is undergoing preliminary investigation by the Comelec’s law department. Among them is Sen. Joseph Victor “JV” Ejercito.

Records showed Ejercito was allowed to spend only P167,429 – or P3 for each of the 90,361 voters in San Juan where he ran for congressman in the 2010 polls.

Ejercito, however, had declared in his SOCE expenditures of P438,512, indicating that he exceeded the limit by P271,083.

Ejercito has since belied this, insisting it was impossible for him to overspend because he was unopposed during the elections.

Brillantes maintained the CFU would not have pursued the case against Ejercito if he did not violate his campaign spending limits.

“I don’t think our CFU (will file the case) if they don’t have strong evidence. The case will not be filed if there was no violation,” he added.