Winning local govt officials warned against non-filing of poll funds
Credit to Author: The Manila Times| Date: Sun, 26 May 2019 08:30:58 +0000
ALL newly elected local government officials must file their Statements of Contributions and Expenses (SOCE) on or before June 13 or they cannot assume of office, the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) warned on Sunday.
Jonathan Malaya, DILG spokesman, said that the SOCE was a requirement by the Commission on Elections (Comelec) and “filing your SOCE is your first legal obligation to the nation and to the public.”
“It is always good to start with a clean slate and to prove that you are worthy of the votes of your constituents,” Malaya said in a statement.
The submission of SOCEs was part of the post-election process for winning and losing candidates.
SOCE may be contributions either in cash or in-kind, which a candidate receives from various sources. They also include expenditures paid out of personal funds, out of cash contributions and incurred using in-kind contributions.
Republic Act 7166 or the “Synchronized National and Local Elections and Electoral Reforms Act” states that: “Every candidate and treasurer of the political party shall, within 30 days after the day of the election, file in duplicate with the offices of the Commission the full, true and itemized statement of all contributions and expenditures in connection with the election.”
Malaya pointed out that the DILG and the Comelec had signed a memorandum of agreement, which said that the DILG, as well as its attached agencies, shall require all winning candidates to present a certification from the Comelec indicating that he or she has filed his or her SOCE.
“In the absence of the Comelec certification, a newly elected official shall not be allowed to perform his/her functions as public officials,” Malaya said.
“His failure to file the SOCE on time would entail a delay in public service and would cause a leadership vacuum in their respective LGUs,” he said.
If the candidate fails to assume office after the deadline of SOCE filing, a permanent vacancy will happen for which the office shall be filled up in accordance with the 1987 Constitution.
Failure or late submission of the SOCE incur the following penalties: P10,000 for senators, party-list organizations and national political parties; P8,500 for provincial political parties; P8,000 for provincial governors and vice-governors; P7,000 for provincial board members, congressmen, local political parties, mayors and vice mayors; and P6,000 for councilors. DEMPSEY REYES
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