Iloilo City elections officer, Atty. Mavil Majarucon-Sia, recently affirmed, candidates who failed to submit their Statement of Contributions and Expenditures (SOCE) on time will be fined. The submission deadline for candidates in last month’s midterm elections was last week, June 13.
“It is the Campaign Finance Office who [is] going to assess sa tanan nga nag-file based on their SOCEs and ang tanan nga wala ka-file (The Campaign Finance Office will assess those who filed their SOCE and those who did not),” she explained. “Kung kapila na nila mahimo nga wala sila file SOCE, aside from fine, there could also be a disqualification to run from the public office (Depending on how many times a candidate has failed to file their SOCE, aside from a fine, they may also be disqualified from seeking public office).”
Article XI, Section 111 of the Omnibus Election Code notes: “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.”
It was previously reported, those who refuse to fulfill their duty face penalties including an administrative case and fines between P1,000 to P30,000 on their first offense. Fines then increase on a second offense, where offenders are required to pay between P2,000 and P60,000 and are penalized with perpetual disqualification from holding public office.
According to the Negros Occidental Comelec, 29 out of 33 provincial-level candidates submitted their SOCEs. Negros Occidental provincial elections supervisor, Atty. Tictac Villanueva, pointed out, the remaining four were unsuccessful in their electoral bids. Meanwhile, Bacolod City-Comelec supervisor, Atty. Ann Janette Lamban, earlier reported there were four electoral candidates in the city that failed to submit their SOCEs before deadline.
While Negros Occidental and Bacolod City officials refused to reveal the names of those who failed to meet the deadline, the Iloilo City Comelec said there were seven candidates without SOCEs, listing them as mostly candidates who failed in their respective bids for a seat on the Sangguniang Panlungsod; namely, Jose Allen Aquino, Eddie Marie Bañez, Mark Khaizer Jadulos, John Douglas Janducayan, Rex Sarabia, and Wilfredo Garcia.
Armand Parcon, who finished in second place, was also one of the named candidates, however, he passed away shortly after the elections./WDJ