Bam, Nancy, Grace report poll expenditures

MANILA, Philippines - Three senators-elect have filed their statements of contributions and expenditures (SOCE) ahead of today’s deadline that the Commission on Elections (Comelec) had set.

Paolo Benigno “Bam” Aquino IV, of the Liberal Party, filed his SOCE on June 11, while Nancy Binay of the United Nationalist Alliance (UNA) and independent Mary Grace Poe-Llamanzares filed theirs yesterday.

Based on her SOCE, Poe received a total of P123,605,341 and her total expenditures were P123,448,994.

One of her biggest contributors is her mother, Susan Roces, listed in the SOCE as “Jesusa Poe,” with P17,390,271.71.

Binay had listed contributions amounting to P136,869,398 and expenditures of P128,695,057.

Her 29-page list of contributors contains donations ranging from P500 to P5 million.

Aquino’s SOCE showed that he received a total of P125,493,000 in contributions and spent P124,327,987.

His contributors include his father Paul with P10,258,000 and uncle Agapito “Butz” Aquino with P10,000,000.

OFW Family Representative-elect Roy Señeres and retired Gen. Ramon Montaño, who ran for senator but lost, had also filed their SOCEs.

Lawyer Esmeralda Ladra, Comelec Law Department director, said winning and losing candidates have until today to file their SOCEs. Those failing to comply face an election offense punishable with up to six years imprisonment, suspension of rights of suffrage and disqualification from holding public office, he added.

Under Section 14 of Republic Act 7166, the National and Local Elections Law, every candidate and treasurer of political party shall, within 30 days after the day of election, file the SOCE.

Comelec records showed that among the political parties, only UNA had filed a SOCE.

A total of 24 party-list groups have also filed their SOCEs: A AMOVER, ANG NARS, AKO, 1-AALALAY, ANG MATA’Y ALAGAAN, UNIMAD, ABA, YACAP, PARTIDO DEMOKRATIKO - SOSYALISTA NG PILIPINAS, ANAC-IP, ANAKPAWIS, BUTIL FARMER, 1-BAP, BANTAY, ABONO, ANGKLA, 1-SAGIP, COCOFED, AGBIAG TIMPUYOG ILOCANO INC., AASENSO, 1-ABILIDAD, SENIOR CITIZENS, AANGAT TAYO, and AGHAM. Comelec Commissioner Christian Robert Lim said the Comelec will strictly implement the SOCE requirements and pursue the perpetual disqualification from holding public office of those considered as perennial non-filers.

They are now reviewing their records in the 2007 and 2010 elections to identify those who did not file their SOCEs, he added.

The Comelec is also on the look out for non-filers of SOCEs for this year’s elections.

Lim said the Campaign and Finance Unit (CFU), formed before this year’s elections, will evaluate who among the candidates did not file their SOCEs for two elections.