BACOLOD CITY – Only about 40 percent of the more than 2,300 candidates during the barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections in this city have submitted their Statement of Contribution and Expenditures (SOCE) as of Tuesday.
This was based on the records of the Commission on Elections (Comelec) office in Bacolod, a day before the deadline on June 13.
City Election Registrar Mavil Majarucon-Sia said she expects more to submit their SOCEs on Wednesday after Comelec personnel have exhausted all means to inform the candidates regarding the period of submission.
She said the candidates have been informed about the requirement during the filing of certificate of candidacy (COC), which states that they are required to submit their SOCEs 30 days after the election.
“We also sent them personal notices through mail, posted notices in their barangays, and sent them text messages to remind them about their SOCEs but sad to say as of now, only 30 to 40 percent have filed,” said Majarucon-Sia.
The Comelec Bacolod office opened on Independence Day to accommodate those coming to file their SOCEs.
By Wednesday, election personnel may set up counters at the adjacent Bacolod Arts, Youth and Sports to accommodate a possible deluge of SOCE filers, the election officer said.
Majarucon-Sia pointed out that winning candidates who failed to file their election spending statements will not be allowed to assume office by June 30.
She said their office will provide the Department of the Interior and Local Government a copy of the list of candidates who have submitted and those who have failed to submit their SOCEs.
Meanwhile, losing candidates who have not filed their SOCEs will get an order from the Comelec Campaign Finance Office to pay an administrative fine for first offense while second offenders will be meted an administrative fine and will also be disqualified, she added.
Majarucon-Sia said there will be no extension of the June 13 deadline, and late filers will have to send their SOCEs directly to the Campaign Finance Office of the Comelec central office.
“But a late filing already has legal implications,” she added. (Nanette Guadalquiver/PNA)