Jun 102013
 
A Commission on Elections official has warned candidates who ran in the May 13 elections that they face perjury charges if they will fail to submit their statements of contributions and expenditures (SOCEs).  

At a press conference on Monday, Comelec Commissioner Christian Robert Lim said such candidates may have committed perjury since they declared in their certificates of candidacy an oath to submit their SOCEs.

“Yung balak namin, ie-endorse namin ‘yung mga hindi nagfile sa DOJ [Department of Justice],” said Lim, head of the poll body’s campaign finance unit. 

Perjury is a criminal act under the Revised Penal Code.

However, “(A)ng target namin is really not to put people in jail but to encourage them to file,” said Lim.

Republic Act 7166, which was enacted on Nov. 26, 1991, states that 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 the day of the election.

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 be penalized with disqualification from holding public office, the law said.

Feb 042013
 
Senate approves bill regulating use of firearms, ammunition

The Senate has approved on third and final reading a bill seeking to regulate the use of firearms and ammunition in the country. Senate Bill 3397 or the Comprehensive Firearms and Ammuition Regulation Act seeks to appeal sections of Presidential Decree 1866, a section of Republic Act 8294, and other laws, executive orders, letters of instruction, issuances, circulars, administrative orders, rules or regulations concerning firearms and ammunition. Under the measure, a person must be a Filipino citizen, at least 21 years old, has “gainful” work or business, and has filed an income tax return to qualify and acquire a license to own and possess firearms and ammunition. The applicant likewise must not be convicted of any crime involving moral turpitude and must have passed a drug test, psychiatric test, and a gun safety seminar. The bill says that permits to carry firearms outside of the residence shall be issued by the chief of the Philippine National Police or any duly authorized representative to “any qualified person whose life is under actual threat or their lives are in imminent danger due to the nature of their profession, occupation or business.” “It shall be the burden of the applicant to prove that his life is under actual threat by submitting a threat assessment certificate from the PNP,” it said. It said that the following professionals are considered to be in imminent danger due to the nature of their profession, occupation or business. members of the Philippine bar certified public accountants accredited media Read More …