Senators-elect Bam Aquino and Cynthia Villar of the Liberal Party coalition, and defeated bet Jack Enrile of the United Nationalist Alliance, may be the early birds in filing their expenditure reports, but their submission may be considered invalid for failing to personally sign their reports.
According to their statement of contributions and expenditures (SOCEs) available at the Commission on Elections Law Department, Enrile’s SOCE was signed by a certain Juan Ramon Garcia, while Villar’s SOCE was signed by her attorney-in-fact Jane C. Ynte.
Coincidentally, Enrile and Villar are also the top two spenders based on available expenditure reports.
Aquino’s treasurer also signed his SOCE, according to the poll body’s law department. However, Aquino just submitted a supplemental expenditure report on Monday, this time with his own signature.
Aquino spent P124,327,987.81 for his campaign kitty.
Defeated senatorial bet and Jesus is Lord founder Eddie Villanueva of Bangon Pilipinas also failed to affix his signature in his expense report. It was signed by his attorney Jacky Silva.
Villanueva filed his SOCE beyond the 5 p.m. deadline on Thursday, June 13.
Signature required
Poll chief Sixto Brillantes Jr. said he had received reports that some senatorial candidates did not affix their signatures on their SOCEs as required by a Comelec resolution.
“Mayroon mga nag-file raw na hindi nakapirma ang mga candidates. It is a requirement that it should be signed by the candidate,” Brillantes said.
He added that failure to comply with the required information is considered non-filing.
“Mayroon kaming provision na kung hindi pinirmahan ng kandidato, that is considered as non-filing,” Brillantes said.
According to Comelec Resolution No. 9476, SOCEs “shall be filed and signed by the candidates or the treasurer of the party, and shall state the expenditure so authorized and the full name and exact address of the person so designated.”
“An incomplete written authority, or one that does not contain all the required information… shall be considered as not filed and shall subject the candidates or party treasurers to the penalties as required by law,” according to the resolution.
Meanwhile, based on latest available data, among those who affixed their signatures in their expense reports are:
- Grace Poe, senator-elect from Liberal Party coalition
- Nancy Binay, senator-elect from United Nationalist Alliance (UNA)
- Sonny Angara, senator-elect from LP Coalition
- Loren Legarda, senator-elect from LP Coalition
- Chiz Escudero, senator-elect from LP Coalition
- Antonio Trillanes IV, senator-elect from LP Coalition
- Alan Peter Cayetano, senator-elect from LP Coalition
- Jamby Madrigal, defeated senatorial bet from LP Coalition
- Ernesto Maceda, defeated senatorial bet from UNA
- Ramon Magsaysay Jr., defeated senatorial bet from LP Coalition
- Ramon Montano, defeated independent senatorial bet
- Christian Señeres, defeated senatorial bet from Democratic Party of the Philippines (DPP)
- Baldomero Falcone, defeated senatorial bet from DPP
- Ricardo Penson, defeated independent senatorial bet
- Samson Alcantara, defeated senatorial bet from Social Justice Society
- JC Delos Reyes, defeated senatorial bet from Ang Kapatiran
Fine and penalty
According to Republic Act 7166, every candidate and treasurer of a political party shall be required to file an itemized statement of all contributions and expenditures within 30 days after Election Day. The deadline was on June 13, 5 p.m.
Failure to submit SOCEs is penalized with an administrative fine from P2,000 to P30,000 for the first offense, and from P2,000 to P60,000 for second offense, depending on the position, according to Comelec Resolution No. 9476.
While it is not a criminal act, failure to file SOCEs can lead to a penalty of disqualification from holding public office, the law said.
Brillantes said those who failed to submit SOCEs in two elections will be disqualified from running for public office. Meanwhile, those who failed to submit SOCEs before June 30 will not be able to assume office. —KG, GMA News
