Mangudadatu financed failed Senate bid with P109M in personal funds

MANILA, Philippines — The election spending of Maguindanao Rep. Dong Mangudadatu, who failed to secure a Senate seat in the midterm polls, amounted to more than P109 million, all personally sourced.

Mangudadatu’s Statement of Contributions and Expenditures (SOCE) showed that he had spent a total of P109,502,291 for his Senate bid.

While he received P21,316,822 worth of in-kind contributions, Mangudadatu opted not to use them and instead financed his bid using personal funds.

Mangudadatu ran under the ruling party, Partido Demokratiko Pilipino–Lakas ng Bayan (PDP-Laban), alongside four other candidates.

However, he was the only candidate from the five-man PDP-Laban slate not included in the winning circle.

Running with him under the PDP-Laban banner were former presidential aide Bong Go, former PNP chief Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa, Senator Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III, and former presidential political adviser and Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) chairman Francis Tolentino.

Mangudadatu finished 19th in the Senate race with 7,499,604 votes.

Candidates can no longer hand in their respective SOCEs as the deadline for filing lapsed on June 13 at 8 p.m.

All candidates and electoral parties, including those who were not elected, self-funded, and those who withdrew their candidacies within the campaign period, are mandated to submit their SOCEs within 30 days after the election.

READ: Comelec to losing bets: No extension of deadline for Soces filing

However, winners may file their SOCEs even after six months from their proclamation date.  (Editor: Mike U. Frialde)

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