MANILA — The Commission on Elections (Comelec) said Tuesday the mandatory filing of the Statement of Contributions and Expenditures (SOCEs) are not only for the winners and losers in the just-concluded Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) polls but also those candidates who have been disqualified.
“Candidates need to be reminded that they have 30 days to file (their) SOCE, which means that their deadline is June 13,” Comelec spokesperson James Jimenez said in an interview.
“As long as you filed your Certificate of Candidacy (COC), you must file your SOCE,” the poll body official added.
He noted that prescribed forms are available in the Comelec website, www.comelec.gov.ph.
“It is very important that the SOCE should be personally signed,” Jimenez said, warning that failure to file SOCEs would bar them from assuming their post and may become a factor when they run again in future elections.
“Under the rules, if a candidate failed to submit or file his/her SOCE, he/she will not be allowed assume office,” he said.
Under Section 14 of Republic Act No. 7166 on the Synchronized National and Local Elections and for Electoral Reforms, every candidate shall, within 30 days after the day of the election, file their full, true, and itemized statement of all contributions and expenditures in connection with the election.
For the commission of a second or subsequent failure to file his/her SOCE, the law states that the offender shall be subject to perpetual disqualification to hold public office. (Ferdinand Patinio/PNA)
