Sanctions await poll bets for failing to file SOCE

MANILA, Philippines — The Commission on Elections (Comelec) has warned both losing and winning candidates who failed to meet the June 8 deadline for the filing of their Statement of Contributions and Expenditures (SOCE) that they would face an administrative case and pay a fine.

A seven-page summary of SOCE filers obtained from Comelec’s Campaign Finance Office (CFO) showed that losing presidential bets Ernie Abella, Norberto Gonzales and Faisal Mangondato have failed to file their SOCEs in time for the deadline while presidential aspirant “Corina Joyce Castillo Felix” filed her SOCE.

The list of the CFO showed that losing vice presidential bets Rizalito David and Manny Lopez have also failed to file their respective SOCEs.

CFO director Efraim Bag-id said Lopez personally appeared before the CFO on Wednesday to file his SOCE, but his papers were not accepted due to lacking documents, prompting them to consider these as “not filed.”

Bag-id said all 12 winning senatorial candidates have already filed their SOCE while the CFO list showed that it has received only 44 SOCEs out of the 64 senatorial bets, which means that 20 losing senatorial candidates did not file their documents.

On the other hand, only 147 out of the 178 party-list groups have filed their SOCEs, while the CFO accepted 28 SOCEs from different political parties.

All 55 winning party-list groups have filed their SOCEs.

In a statement, Education and Information Department director James Jimenez said the June 8 deadline for the filing of SOCE is “final and non-extendible, except for winning candidates and party-list groups” as stated under the Omnibus Rules governing campaign finance and disclosure.

“Winning candidates are given a grace period of six months from proclamation to file their SOCE. Until such time that they have complied, they are barred from assuming office. If their political party likewise fails to comply the same prohibition applies,” Jimenez said.

He said candidates who failed to file their SOCE will be held administratively liable and pay a fine, which applies to both winning and losing candidates who miss the deadline.

“In case of a second or subsequent failure to submit SOCE, a higher fine will be imposed to the candidate or party, as well as perpetual disqualification to hold public office,” he added.

Under the election laws, candidates for president and vice president have a maximum spending limit of P10 per registered voter while other candidates may spend only up to P3 per voter, but if they are running as an independent or without the support of a political party, they may spend up to P5 per voter.

Political parties and party-list groups can also spend up to P5 per voter.

The Comelec said there were 65,831,806 registered local voters and 1,697,202 overseas voters, which means that candidates have a spending cap of P675,290,080 for national posts and P197,495,418 for other candidates with political party, and P74,320,316 for independent candidates, political parties and party-list groups.