The Commission on Elections (Comelec) urged candidates in the May 9 national and local polls to follow the deadline for the filing of their statement of contributions and expenditures (SOCE) which is set on June 8.
Comelec Commissioner George Garcia, in an interview with ABS-CBN’s TeleRadyo, said the Comelec “would not accept statements on campaign expenses beyond the deadline.”
“We’re reminding candidates, whether they withdrew or pushed through in running, whether they lost or won, all of them are required to file their SOCE,” Garcia said, adding that there will be no extension of the deadlines beyond June 8.
The Comelec said candidates who will not submit their SOCE will face charges and a fine and those who fail to file for a second time “may be subjected to perpetual disqualification to hold public office,” Garcia said.
The Comelec official, in the radio interview, added that “about 500 candidates in previous elections are facing possible perpetual disqualification to hold public office.”
A candidate who won in the elections may also be removed from office over violations of SOCE regulations, Garcia warned.
Garcia further said campaign donations must be reported and should be cross-checked with information from donors.
Failure to declare campaign donations constitutes a violation of SOCE rules and candidates can also be charged of perjury, the Comelec official said.