Mindanaotoday.com | Comelec exec warns political candidates ignoring SOCE
By: Uriel Quilinguing
CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY – A candidate may be perpetually barred from seeking public office, placed behind bars, and stripped of his right to vote for ignoring the required filing of statement of contributions and expenses (SOCE) before the Commission on Elections.
Lawyer Rowell Valledor, Comelec Cagayan de Oro election officer, issued the stern warning Wednesday, June 1, even as he reminded all candidates in the May 9 elections of the June 8 deadline for the filing of SOCEs.
“We have sent notices to all candidates, reminding them of their SOCEs,” said Valledor, but none have complied so far, as of this writing.
There were 73 aspirants for the 20 local elective posts in Cagayan de Oro, although 80 Certificates of Candidacy (COCs) were filed on or before Oct. 6 last year.
Contested were two congressional, a mayoralty, a vice-mayoralty, and 16 local legislative seats, hence 53 failed in their political bids.
Valledor said eight of 80 COCs were withdrawn, there were two substitutions but one of those who substituted also backed out.
Winning candidates, he said, may still file their SOCEs within six months but cannot assume until they comply with the requirement, pursuant to the Fair Elections Act or Republic Act No. 9006.
The SOCE filing, involving not only the candidates but also mass media entities, contractors, and business firms, is stipulated under Section 11 of Comelec Resolution No. 10730.
Under Section 261 of the Omnibus Election Code of 1985, any person found guilty of any election offense shall be punished with imprisonment of not less than one year but not more than six years, to suffer disqualification to hold public office, and deprivation of the right of suffrage.
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