ILOILO – The Commission on Elections (Comelec) has issued a stern reminder to all candidates and political parties in the recently concluded polls: failure to submit their Statement of Contributions and Expenditures (SOCE) within 30 days from election day — on or before June 11 — will result in serious consequences, including the disqualification of elected officials from assuming office.
Provincial Election Supervisor Atty. Reinier Layson emphasized that submission of SOCEs is mandatory for all candidates, party-list groups, and political parties, whether they won or lost, withdrew after the filing period, did not campaign, or even spent nothing at all.
He warned that the deadline is final and non-extendible.
“No winning candidate will be allowed to assume office unless this requirement is met,” he stressed.
According to Comelec Resolution No. 11086 and Republic Act No. 7166, the SOCE must include a full, true, and itemized account of all electoral contributions received and expenditures incurred during the campaign. Even self-funded campaigns or candidates who ceased campaigning midway must file.
The filing period runs from May 13 to June 11, including Saturdays and holidays, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the appropriate Comelec office.
Submissions must be done in person; registered mail, courier services, or email submissions will not be accepted.
The requirements for SOCE submission include:
* a notarized and personally signed SOCE by the candidate or party treasurer
* prescribed hard copies along with soft copies in PDF and Excel format, submitted on a storage device
* compliance with authorized campaign spending limits, which are: a) ₱3 per voter for candidates with political party support; b) ₱5 per voter for independent candidates and political parties/party-list groups
Comelec Region 6 director Atty. Dennis Ausan underscored the importance of the SOCE in monitoring adherence to campaign spending rules.
He noted that this mechanism allows the commission to determine if candidates stayed within the allowed spending thresholds, ensuring a level playing field.
While failure to file is no longer considered a criminal offense following amendments to the Omnibus Election Code, it is still punishable under administrative sanctions.
First-time violators face fines ranging from ₱1,000 to ₱30,000, while repeat offenders may be fined up to ₱60,000 and face perpetual disqualification from holding public office.
City and municipal election registrars are also required to notify candidates in writing within five days after the election to ensure compliance.
Candidates and parties may access the official SOCE forms and additional guidance online via the Comelec website./PN
