GMA, 3 others comply with SOCE rule

MANILA, Philippines - Pampanga Rep. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and three other lawmakers have been removed from the list of elected officials who violated the rules on the filing of Statement of Contributions and Expenditures (SOCE), the Commission on Elections (Comelec) said yesterday.

Comelec records showed that Arroyo and Representatives Sal Fortuno of Camarines Sur, Joel Roy Duavit of Rizal and Ma. Victoria Sy-Alvarado of Bulacan are eligible for their posts.

They joined 66 others who managed to comply with the requirements on campaign finance disclosure, the poll body said.

Earlier, the Comelec asked 422 elected officials to vacate their posts for not filing their SOCEs on time and in prescribed form. Twenty of them are congressmen and four are governors.

Under Republic Act 7166 or the Synchronized Election Law of 1991, all candidates are required to file their SOCE within 30 days after the election.

So far, 70 officials, including 16 lawmakers, have complied with the SOCE rule.