BAGUIO CITY – Seven candidates for various positions in the local level during the May 12, 2025 mid-term elections will be meted the prescribed fines by the Commission on Elections (Comelec) following their failure to submit their respective Statement of Election Contributions and Expenditures (SOCE) last June 11, 2025.
City Election officer lawyer John Paul Martin said that the seven candidates for various local level positions who failed to submit their SOCEs include a candidate for Representative of the Lone District of Baguio City, three candidates for City Mayor and three candidates for member of the Sangguniang Panlungsod.
He claimed that 47of the 54 candidates for the different elected positions in the local level were able to successfully file their SOCEs during the prescribed deadline.
The Comelec official pointed out that what is important is that all the proclaimed winning candidates during the elections successfully submitted their SOCEs which means that there will be no hindrance in their upcoming assumption to office by noon of June 30, 2025 pursuant to the mandate of the 1987 Constitution.
Martin added that the candidates for congressman who failed to submit their notarized SOCE will be meted a fine of P30,000, candidates for mayor and vice mayor who also failed to submit their SOCE will be fined P20,000 while candidates for member of the Sangguniang Panlungsod who did not file their SOCE on time will be fined P15,000 each.
Under existing election laws, rules and regulations, candidates who fail to submit their respective SOCEs for two consecutive elections will be fined twice the prescribed fines aside from being disqualified to file their certificate of candidacy for whatever elected position in the conduct of future elections.
Further, proclaimed winning candidates in the different elected positions who failed to submit their SOCEs will not be allowed to take their respective oaths of office and assume the positions where they were voted upon until such time that they are able to submit the required SOCE.
Martin said that the Department of the Interior and Local government (DILG) is requiring the Comelec to issue a certificate of submission of SOCE for the proclaimed winning candidates in the different elected local positions that serves as a requirement for the said elected officials to be able to take their oath and assume their elected positions by the end of the month, thus, the absence of such document will surely be a deterrent for them to take their oath of office and assume their respective positions.
According to him, candidates who intend to submit their SOCEs beyond the prescribed deadline will have to submit the same in the Comelec central office apart from paying their prescribed fines to ensure that there will be no deterrent in their future filing of their certificates of candidacy for their desired positions in the future while those who failed to submit their SOCEs twice will be automatically disqualified to be candidates for whatever elected positions in the coming years.
Earlier, some incumbent city officials had been fined by the poll body for their failure to submit their SOCEs in the past elections. By Dexter A. See
