55 Baguio officials fail to submit campaign finance statements

BAGUIO CITY, Philippines — At least 55 local officials, including a barangay chairman, 11 barangay kagawads (councilors), three Sangguinang Kabataan chairpersons and 40 SK councilors face disqualification after failing to file their campaign finance reports on time.

Lawyer John Paul Martin, head of Commission on Elections office in Baguio, said these winning candidates face disqualification proceedings due to the non-submission of their Statements of Contributions and Expenditures (SOCEs).

About 344 candidates in the Barangay Elections and 114 for the SK have yet to submit their financial reports.

Mayor Mauricio Domogan swore in the new barangay officials of the city's 128 barangays on Friday morning.

"It will now depend on the Comelec En Banc if it would allow the late submission of SOCEs coming from the winning candidates. But if it decides otherwise, then they will have to face disqualification proceedings, which would prevent them from sitting as winning candidates," Martin said.