Comelec orders 422 execs: Vacate posts

CEBU, Philippines - The Commission on Elections (Comelec) has ordered 422 elected officials, including 11 councilors in Cebu, to vacate their posts for their failure to submit their Statement of Contributions and Expenditures (SOCE) within the deadline.

According to the law, all winning and losing candidates must submit their SOCEs within 30 days after the elections.

In Cebu, seven councilors in Danao City reportedly have not submitted their SOCEs, including Councilor Ivy Durano-Meca, an ex-officio member of the Provincial Board.

Aside from Meca, the Danao City councilors who reportedly failed to submit their SOCEs are Jed Almendras, John Cane, Cynthia Duterte, Jove Enriquez, Celso Meca and Jojo Roble.

But Comelec provincial supervisor Marco Lionel Castillano told The FREEMAN that the election officer of Danao City confirmed that the seven councilors were able to submit their SOCEs on time.

In Mandaue City, Councilors Editha Cabahug and Tony Dabon are included on the list.

But in a text message to The FREEMAN, Mandaue City election officer Anna Fleur Gujilde said the two officials had submitted their SOCEs.

"Our records show that councilor Dabon and Cabahug filed their SOCE on time. Their docs were submitted along with the docs of other winning candidates. We'll just inform Comelec Head Office regarding this," Gujilde said.

Sta. Fe election officer Neriza Gigante confirmed that Councilor Louwela Pacila, who was included on the list, submitted her SOCE on June 10, 2013.

The Freeman tried but failed to contact the election officer of Tabogon town to comment on the SOCE status of Councilor Rodrigo Sinoy, who was also on the list.

Castillano said the Comelec has warned that winning candidates who did not submit their SOCEs would not be able to take oath.

Santos, Arroyo, Biazon included

Other officials ordered to vacate their posts included Batangas Gov. Vilma Santos, Laguna Gov. Emilio Ramon "ER" Ejercito, Muntinlupa Rep. Rodolfo Biazon and former President now Pampanga Rep. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.

Comelec Chairman Sixto Brillantes Jr. said the 422 poll winners should not have been able to assume office under Republic Act 7166 or the Synchronized Election Law of 1991.

"They are considered not to have validly assumed office and that's why we want them to vacate their offices. The provision in the law is very clear - you cannot assume if you did not file your SOCE," Brillantes said in a press briefing yesterday.

He said the 422 officials elected in the May 13 elections were ordered to stay away from office "until they have complied with the campaign finance disclosure requirements provided by our election laws."

Brillantes said the law was very clear but lamented it had not been implemented in previous elections.

"Under our watch, we won't tolerate this anymore. The more important message is they cannot disregard the law because we intend to implement it," he said.

Under the law, "every candidate and treasurer of the political party shall, within 30 days after the day of election, file in duplicate with the offices of the commission the full, true and itemized statement of all contributions and expenditures in connection with the election."

This means the SOCE should have been filed by June 30. The Comelec had also required the documents to be filed in prescribed forms with receipts attached and signed personally by the winning candidates.

Based on the report of the Comelec's campaign finance steering committee headed by Commissioner Christian Robert Lim, the 422 local officials also included a vice governor; 12 provincial board members; three city mayors; nine city vice mayors; 47 city councilors; 23 municipal mayors; 26 municipal vice mayors and 277 municipal councilors. —  (FREEMAN)