Comelec: June 8 deadline for filing of poll expenses

 EDITORIAL

Losing and winning candidates in the May 9 elections have until June 8 to file their statement of campaign contributions and expenditures, the Commssion on Elections warned.

Baguio City Election officer John Paul Martin said it is the obligation of candidates to file their statements of campaign contributions and expenditures for assessment and evaluation by the poll body for their compliance to existing election laws, rules and regulations.

“Winning and losing candidates have a maximum of 30 days to submit their respective statement of election contributions and expenditures during the duration of the campaign period in compliance with existing election laws, rules and regulations to prevent any complications in the future once they decide to aspire for an elective position or take their oath for an elective position by the end of June,” Martin said.

Under the Omnibus Election code, candidates are only required to spend a maximum of P3 per registered voter while political parties are allowed a maximum of P5 per voter as expenses.

Martin said winning candidates will not be allowed to take their oath of office by the end of June if they will not comply with the requirement of submitting their statement of election contributions and expenditures while those losing candidates face the imposition of fines for their non-compliance to such provisions of the country’s election law.

According to him, pertinent forms in relation to the statement of election contributions and expenditures are available in their office for the winning and losing candidates to access in compliance to one of the lawful requirements in order to ascertain candidates who violated the election law, especially in terms of over spending during the elections.

Martin said submitted statements of election contributions and expenditures will still be subjected to further validation, evaluation and assessment by the poll body’s campaign finance division in order to study whether or not winning and losing candidates have over spent during the conduct of the general and automated elections.

During the May 2013 elections, seven winning and non-winning candidates for the various elective positions in Baguio were fined by the Comelec campaign finance division for failure to submit their complete statements of election contributions and expenditures during the prescribed 30-day grace period after the conduct of the political exercise.

Martin said the Comelec’s reminders to the winning and losing candidates should not be taken for granted because it is part of their obligation under the law to submit their statements of election contributions and expenses to prevent filing of charges against them by interest groups and individuals in the future that would compromise their stint public office or their political plans in the future.