Winners, losers file poll expenses

At least 28 senatorial candidates in the 2019 elections, including seven winning senators, beat the June 13 deadline set by the Commission on Elections (Comelec) for the filing of their statement of contributions and expenditures (Soce).

The winning senators who filed their Soce on Thursday were Senators-elect Cynthia Villar, Grace Poe, Pia Cayetano, Nancy Binay,  Ramon “Bong” Revilla Jr., Francis Tolentino and Christopher “Bong” Go.

Go had the biggest expenditures amounting to P161,418,299.31, out of the total contributions of P162,035,537.34 that he received.

Tolentino spent P159,169,836.54, and received contributions totaling P112,900,000.00.

Poe’s Soce showed that she spent P156,433,463.80, while receiving P156,450,000 in contributions.

Villar, meanwhile, spent P135,529,061.09, which she said came from personal funds.

Revilla spent P121,952,358.93, and received P115,575,235.21 in contributions.

Cayetano’s Soce showed that her campaign expenses amounted to P73,714,198.55, a little less than the P75,200,000 contributions she received.

Binay received a total of P59,470,000 contributions, but spent only P56,785,472.82.

Fifteen other losing senatorial candidates also filed their Soces, including Mar Roxas, Chel Diokno, Florin Hilbay, Gary Alejano, among others.

Roxas’ Soce showed that he spent P179,193,153.04 for his campaign, but received only P167,050,000 in total contributions.

Under the law, every candidate and political party shall, within 30 days after election day, file with the Comelec their full, true and itemized Soces.

Several political parties have also submitted their Soces, including PDP-Laban, Lakas-CMD, Nacionalista Party and Liberal Party.

A total of 91 party lists so far have filed their Soces as well, among them ACT-CIS, Senior Citizens, Magdalo, ACT Teachers, Ang Probinsyano, 1PACMAN, PBA, LPGMA, SBP, TUCP, Bayan Muna and Gabriela.