BANGUED, Abra – The Commission on Elections (Comelec) on Wednesday urged candidates to start preparing their Statement of Contribution and Expenditure (SOCE), due on June 11.
“We started accepting SOCE on May 13 and the due date is 30 days from the election day which is on June 11,” said lawyer Elenita Julia Tabangin-Capuyan of the Comelec Regional Office, designated regional chief of the Early Voting Task Force, in an interview.
She said candidates should ensure on-time submission and compliance to be received at the field office.
“After the deadline, the SOCE will only be accepted at the central office and fines or penalties have to be paid,” Tabangin-Capuyan said.
Based on Comelec rules, all candidates, political parties, and party-lists shall file their SOCE, whether they were elected or not, incurred expenses or received any contribution; did not pursue their campaign; self-funded their campaign; or withdrew their candidacy unless the withdrawal was done officially before the start of the campaign period.
The SOCE shall be personally signed by the candidate or by the party treasurer of the political party and party-list.
“We will accept and just check formalities and correctness as to the form and not the content,” Tabangin-Capuyan said.
Further, she said non-submission of SOCE could result in a candidate being forever barred from seeking any elective position.**Liza Agoot
