DAVAO CITY (MindaNews/June 9) – Only 18 out of 97 candidates for the May 12, 2025 elections here have filed their Statement of Campaign Expenditures (SOCE) as of Monday, June 9, two days before the deadline.
As of 9 a.m. on Monday, only 18 candidates or 18.5% had filed their SOCEs at the Commission on Elections (Comelec) offices here: one candidate for mayor, one for vice mayor; in District 1, one candidate for congressional representative and four candidates for councilor; in District 2, one candidate for congressional representative and four council bets; and in District 3, one candidate for congressional representative and five council bets. No names were provided, just numbers.
Among those who filed was Maria Victoria “Mags” Maglana, who ran as an Independent candidate for Representative of the first congressional district against two-term Representative Paolo Duterte, PBA party-list representative Margarita Ignacia “Migs” Nograles and two others. Duterte won. Maglana told MindaNews she filed her SOCE last Friday afternoon.
“Ongoing pa rin naman po ang filing ng SOCE,” Comelec election officer Shajani Ibrahim said in a text message. Comelec employees on duty also said that they are anticipating more would file on the last day, June 11.
In an advisory posted on Friday, the Comelec reminded candidates that they cannot assume office unless they comply with the requirement to submit their SOCE within the prescribed period.
Under Section 14 of Republic Act No. 7166, also known as the Synchronized Elections Act, every candidate and political party treasurer is mandated to submit, in duplicate, a “full, true, and itemized” account of all campaign contributions and expenditures to the Comelec within 30 days after the election.
Candidates who fail to file their SOCE will face an administrative offense and may be fined between P1,000 and P30,000, at the discretion of the Comelec. This requirement does not apply to aspirants at the barangay level.
For winning candidates and political parties, failure to comply can also prevent them from officially assuming office.
The Comelec also said that any candidate who fails to submit their SOCE will be barred from assuming office and may also face administrative sanctions.
Candidates who fail to file their SOCEs for two consecutive elections face higher fines and will be perpetually disqualified to hold public office.
But candidates who comply with the requirement will be issued a Certificate of Formal Compliance, which they must present when taking office.
Comelec chair George Garcia had earlier said the June 11 deadline for filing of SOCE will not be extended. “There is no extension. We do not plan to give an extension to anyone who asks. That is the deadline, June 11,” the Philippine News Agency quoted him as saying on June 3.
“You have to face the consequences of non-filing of SOCE,” he warned.
Garcia had also announced that the Comelec will publish on its website the SOCEs of the candidates as part of the transparency efforts.
“This is one of the reforms we are implementing, Garcia said, adding that the SOCE that the candidates will file, will be published on the Comelec website.” (Ian Carl Espinosa/MindaNews)
